The Dragon Kings Treasure
by Hvalross05
Summary: Before Bakugou became the Dragon King, he had to fight for his homeland. On his mission to raise money for the attack, the creature that could be his saving grace ended up being his greatest challenge. Fantasy AU Bakugou x Koge (OC)
1. Frozen Luck

Money.

That was the only thing on Bakugou's mind. He didn't care about the growl of hunger in his stomach or the ice cold chill of winter that pricked his skin. Two weeks out hunting the wilderness for big-game had all but diminished his packed resources, and what did he have to show for his efforts? Three fox pelts, two deer pelts, and one set of antlers that he hadn't even considered bringing along with him. All the meat he had gathered had been devoured at this point, both by him and his companion. The fact that said companion was a sixty-five foot long and twenty-five foot tall dragon - give or take an inch or two - didn't exactly help the situation. The giant creature was probably more hungry than Bakugou was, but there was nothing the young Lord could do about it.

Well, previous Lord. That's why he needed the money. His inherited land, his tribe that had been in control by his family for generations had been taken over, and he was determined to get it back. But, he needed money for that. Lots of money. Gathering it was turning out to be a lot harder than he expected, but there was no point in pouting about it. He had to act if he wanted to succeed, and there was nothing in heaven or hell that could stop him. Except starving to death, maybe.

A sigh escaping his lips, Bakugou gave a few soft pats to the top of the dragon's head, speaking loudly to him over the roaring ice cold wind. "Let's land. I need to hunt for food." With a low grumble in understanding, the creature descended from the sky, landing in a clearing right outside of a thick forest. Having been sitting between his horns, Bakugou slid down the bridge of the dragons nose as he rested his head down. He glowered down at the ice coated grass as it crunched beneath his boots, hating it. At this point, it was hours after sunrise, and the grass still had yet to thaw. There was no snow, but the morning dew had gotten to the point where it coated the grass, freezing it.

Bakugou knew that he didn't have much longer to be out here before snow began to fall. He was desperate at this point, to find something worth a good sum of money. But, once the snow arrived, he would have to return home. Or, well, to the nearest city that would accept having a dragon so close. Home was something foreign to him at this point, having been cast out of his land years ago. What he called home was here and there, everywhere and anywhere.

Turning back to his friend, Bakugou took a moment to shrug off the cape he wore, switching it out for his bow and quiver full of arrows. Around the dragon's neck was a leather collar that had pouches, hooks and ropes hanging from it to hold whatever the traveler may need. For now, it held their killed game, what little food they had, water, weapons and blankets. As Bakugou stored away his cape, he glanced up at the bright orange eye peering down at him, listening to the soft high pitch whine that caught his attention. "I get that it's cold, but it will get in my way. I don't need it." After placing the quiver across his back, he rolled his shoulders and his neck, the bones popping along with the rattling of the necklaces that adorned his neck.

"I'm not going far, just around the edge here and to the stream. Make sure you kill anything that you see come through here." Bakugou gave his large friend one last pat on the nose as he headed towards the forest. With a low hum, the dragon laid down, chin resting comfortably on a large patch of fluffy grass. Bakugou gave a small click of his tongue as he watched, noticing that the frozen grass in the path of the dragon's breath melted, springing back to life. "Lazy ass. Don't slack off just because I'm gone." He got no response as he vanished behind the forest edge, swallowed by the darkness of the thick brush. These trees could hold up against the cold, at least until the snow began to fall, so he knew there would be some type of life in here that he could eat.

The thought of eating another rabbit made him a bit nauseous, wishing that he could find some type of pheasant or even a couple snakes. For now, he focused on searching for a sign of any animal that would be worth the effort. Bow and arrow at the ready, Bakugou crept through the forest as quietly as he could, and after nearly an hour, he found no sign of edible life. Defeated and angry, he broke through the brush to a riverbank, gazing upon the slow moving river. If there was nothing on land, fish would have to do.

Taking his place on a rock on the river's edge, he was pleased to see a good amount of fish swimming about. _Ah, fuck yes. Finally a little bit of luck._ He put the arrow back into the quiver on his back before removing it completely, placing it down onto the grass along with his bow. From a pouch that hung from a belt on his hip, he removed a fishing net, taking his time to spread it out. Though, his focus was suddenly broken by an annoying flash of light in his eyes. Squinting and blinking against the light, he glanced up, feeling shock rush through him as he finally laid eyes on the source of the light.

Down the river bank, the form of a small dragon could easily be seen, light reflecting off its white scales. It's back to Bakugou, it had yet to notice him, busying itself with ripping into the flesh of a large fish it must have pulled from the river. In this part of the world, dragons were a rare sight, compared to Bakugou's homeland where they ran rampant. Why one was down here, he had no idea, nor did he care. Dead or alive, a dragon would bring in a massive amount of money, and this one was small enough that he was pretty sure he could get it to a big-game trading center alive.

Now finding a new purpose for the net in his hands, he slowly made his way towards the creature, silently cursing at himself for having not noticed it sooner. He could have easily scared it off, and he knew damn well his lazy lard of a companion wouldn't fly after it on his own if it took off. This one was a beauty, too. White scales with pale blue accents would surely be extremely valuable, as it was a rare combination, even in dragon populated areas.

 _This net is large enough to tangle the wings, then get the legs._ He could feel the heavy weights of the bolas on his hip hit against his thigh as he thought this, glad he had decided to keep it with him. Holding his breath, he stopped only a foot from the creatures tail, out of range as it flickered and moved in enjoyment of its meal. Long and slender, the tail tapered off to a fine point, with a fin like extremity protruding from the underside. The fin was about a foot long, made up of white spikes and a thin blue membrane. Bakugou was unsure of its purpose, but he knew a hit from it could seriously injure him, even if the dragon was small.

Now so close, he could tell that it was female, her lean frame and thin limbs making her unsuitable for riding, at least in the air. Her main line of defense were obviously her claws, which were long and so sharp they dug into the ground, even with her making very little movement. The back feet were the most vicious, both inner toes consisting of a large sickle claw that could easily rip him open. _Those will need cut before anything else._ Bakugou's crimson glare moved to the fish carcass she was eating, noticing that it was getting down to the bone.

He needed to move, now.

In a quick series of highly skilled movements, Bakugou threw the net over the dragon's folded wings, immediately entangling them as the creature panicked. Just as she leapt up to try to flee, Bakugou dodged the swinging tail and pulled the bolas from his hip, slinging it towards her back legs. With the momentum from the weights, the rope wrapped around her legs with ease, sending her tumbling sideways with a high pitched shriek that rattled Bakugou's mind and sent birds flying from the trees.

"Oh shut up!" Bakugou went towards the head of the creature, snatching her by the horns and forcing her head down onto the grass. For more control, he placed a foot over her long snout, effectively clamping her mouth shut. Still, she whined and struggled, digging into the ground with her still free front claws.

"I said stop!" He increased the pressure with his foot, resulting in the instant halting of the dragons struggles. She peered up at him with distressed pale blue eyes, her white slit pupils constricted into a thin line in her panic. Bakugou sighed, calming down a bit, though he didn't dare to loosen his grip. "You're coming with me, dead or alive. Do you understand?"

He watched her pupils expand, an indication that she did indeed understand him. Bakugou's bloodline had a special talent that made them more powerful, which was the ability to communicate with dragons through regular speech. Bakugou was unsure how the magic worked, as it was something that came naturally to his family for centuries. There was a story that it was because his family line had dragon blood flowing through their veins, another reason for their fierce and harsh nature. It was possible, but he didn't really care. His family was nothing to him anymore.

Growing up with them, Bakugou had a soft spot for dragons. He liked them more than people, as he had a tendency to be judged harshly by anyone he came into contact with. In fact, the thought of taming this creature for himself crossed his mind, but it was quickly overshadowed by his goals. He needed the money, selling her was his only option at this point. Still, he couldn't deny that she was a magnificent breed, one that he had never seen before. The two horns that sprouted from her skull were slick as glass, smooth and cold beneath his fingers, and he imagined that her claws were the same.

His eyes were pulled from her as he noticed movement from her tail, watching as it slowly swayed back and forth. With a scoff, Bakugou released one of her horns, using that free hand to dig about in his pouch to see if he had any more rope to use. "What? You're happy? The fuck is wrong with you?" The tail only increased in speed as he spoke, the creature giving a soft growl that vibrated up his leg. Bakugou paid little attention to this, cursing as he came to realize that he had no other rope. "Damn it. I need to tie you up and come back with more-"

Suddenly, a bright blue light blinded him, illuminating from the creature below him. With an irritated growl of his own, Bakugou brought up an arm to shield his eyes, releasing the dragons other horn. When the light finally faded, he tried to blink his vision back into normality, squinting through one eye down at the dragon. What he found instead shocked him so badly that he stumbled backwards, only coming to a stop when he slammed into a tree. "What the fuck?!"

There was no longer a dragon tangled up on the ground. Instead, a completely nude woman was laying in the grass, still staring up at him with those same blue eyes. Her expression was completely void of emotion, except for the tears that were welled up and trickling down her fair skin.

"I… I can understand you?"


	2. Who's The Beast?

"I… I can understand you?" She spoke in a soft, timid voice, slowly pushing herself up to sit normally. White hair cascaded over her shoulders, though didn't go down far enough to cover her body. Bakugou was no stranger to women, but seeing one so suddenly butt naked in front of him brought heat to his face, struggling between embarrassment and anger. _S-she's a halfling… I should have noticed that from her size! Fuck!_

"You're a fucking halfling! What the hell are you doing out here in the middle of the woods eating a fucking fish raw?!" He barked at her, pointing an accusing finger at the fish corpse nearby. The woman didn't even look, her intense yet hollow gaze completely locked on him.

"Halfling? Oh, that's what humans call us… Why is it odd that I'm eating fish?" She spoke a bit clumsily, as if she wasn't used to speaking out loud and had to regain familiarity with it. Bakugou felt completely bewildered, not even sure how to respond to her. "You… Most halflings live as humans. What the fuck do you mean 'I can understand you'?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion, head tilting a bit to the side. "Well… I have a hard time understanding humans. I can talk to them, but their words, I just… it's all jumbled in my head, you know. But I can understand you!" She scooted her body a bit closer to him, which only prompted Bakugou to pull his sword from its sheath, holding it defensively in front of him. "Stay where you are! Halfling or not, you're coming with me! Don't try any funny shit, I know you can use magic."

"Hmm.." The girl reached up and timidly touched the small horns that grew out from her skull, placed right above her pointed ears. "But… I don't. I haven't been able to learn any because I can't understand what people are saying to me. And I never learned from my parents since I lost them when I was young. You're the first human I've really talked to in years!" Her cheeks flushed bright red as she looked him over. "Why did you try to catch me?"

"I'm not telling you! You're coming with me." Bakugou took a few steps towards her, still cautious of any tricks she may pull. Her tail flickered curiously behind her, startling Bakugou a bit as he had yet to notice she still had it, though it was smaller in proportion to her body. As he came closer, he also noticed white freckles scattered across her skin, varying in their thickness of patches. The ones across her cheeks were the most prominent, bright against her flushed cheeks. He did have to admit, she was attractive, fair and soft. But, what really got to him was her gaze. It was so intense, so focused against the otherwise blank expression she held on her face. It was annoying him.

As he grew closer, sword still pointed at her nose, she looked down the length of the metal. With a soft hum, she reached up and touched the point with her finger, before lightly tracing along the details on the right side. "This sword has killed a lot of people… animals… dragons." Her gaze flickered back to him just for a moment. "Are you a killer?"

Bakugou was left a bit stunned by the question, spoken so softly it almost sounded innocent. "Only when I have to be. How can you tell all that?" The woman lightly touched a crack along the top edge of the sword, her pupils dilating. "I can feel it. There's so much… emotion in inanimate objects, especially those that are used for bad things. Like this crack… it was made by someone you really hate-" A small gasp cut her off as Bakugou used the weapon to smack her hand away. "Shut up, you stupid half-breed! Stand up!" She eyed him for a moment before looking down at her legs, which were still tangled up in the bolas.

"You know, this thing hurt." She began to pull the rope from her legs, rubbing one of her ankles once she was free. "It's a cruel weapon." It was already swollen and bruised, bringing Bakugou's attention to the rest of the bruises and cuts she had received during her struggle. "I don't care about your opinion. I said stand up, beast!" Her brow furrowed, annoyance peeking through her blank expression. "I have a name. Would you like to know it, or would you rather continue to call me degrading names like the beast _you_ are?"

This woman continued to completely throw Bakugou off balance, having never met someone so easily able to snap back at him. "I don't care about your name!"

"But you're making me come with you. If we're going to travel together, maybe you should be more civil. Or even more like a gentleman?" She slapped her tail against the ground in obvious frustration, although her voice and expression were calm. "Or would you rather kill me, like you threatened before? I don't think you could."

"You don't know shit about me." Bakugou growled, sheathing his sword. He snatched her by the arm, forcing her up onto her feet. "I said stand!" Unable to fight against his strength, the woman was pulled up, though she instantly stumbled over her feet. "A-ah, ow!" His grip on her arm kept her up, though he held her out away from his body like she was some diseased creature. "Stop being so pathetic! You talk all big, but you're just a little weak creature!"

Steading herself on shaking legs, she glared up at him, placing her hand over his and digging her nails into his skin. "Let me go! I don't want you to touch me- EEK!" She shrieked as Bakugou suddenly scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder as he began his march back through the forest. "S-stop it, you stupid human! Put me down!"

"You shut up! I'm sick of listening to you!" Bakugou was easily able to carry her, as she was at least a good foot shorter than him and weighed nearly nothing. In fact, he felt as if he could easily break her into pieces, and he found himself loosening his grip on her to try and prevent any further injury. He ignored the feeling of her nails in his back and her knee pressing into his chest, finding that she was entirely harmless in this state. "If you want to get away, then you had better change back. Otherwise, you're not going anywhere."

The woman huffed, her breathing heavy from her struggles. "I can't! Once I turn into my human from, I can only change back under a situation of intense stress or if I feel really threatened!"

"So you don't feel threatened by me? Is that what you're saying?"

"I-" Stopping her struggles, the girl sighed, speaking softly again. "No. I know you're not a bad person. Won't you tell me your name?"

Bakugou was silent for a long while, focusing on trudging through the woods with this creature on his shoulder. Everything about this entire encounter was so bizarre that he nearly felt the urge to just drop her and leave her be. But he couldn't. He needed to trade her in. The money he got for her would easily fund his attack, and he would have some left to spare. It was at least a good three days travel to the nearest trading center, and the thought of struggling with her the entire way was exhausting. It might just be in his best interest to play nice, to keep her in this human form and unable to escape him.

"Bakugou. Katsuki Bakugou."

"Katsuki…" She repeated softly, her tail flickering a bit. "I'm Koge."

Bakugou scoffed, glad to see that they were quickly approaching the edge of the forest. "I told you, I don't care about what your name is. And don't call me by my first name! Only people I give a shit about can call me that!"

Koge hummed, and Bakugou could feel her fiddling with one of his necklaces. "You don't give a shit about me? Then why are you taking me with you? Is it because of what I am? Am I special to you?"

"Stop asking so many fucking questions." Bakugou squinted a bit against the brightness of the sun as they left the shade of the forest, glancing around until he saw his companion laying in the grass. Beside him were three deer bodies, waiting for Bakugou's return. "Tch, finally, he wasn't useless for once." Koge's tail began to sway about, her body tensing in attention to his words. "Huh? Who?" With a bit of effort, she was able to look up over her shoulder, gaze landing on the large red dragon. The excited gasp that left her lips startled Bakugou enough that he nearly dropped her, and it was loud enough to wake up the sleeping giant in front of him.

The instant the orange eyes landed on the pair, he rose to his feet, snarling and growling in a low tone. Bakugou rolled his eyes, shifting the woman on his shoulder down into his arms, holding her bridal style. "Be quiet! We're taking her with us!" Cautiously, the large dragon approached, nostrils flaring as he sniffed them. He shook his head in obvious disgust before he let out a large roar, close and loud enough to shake the ground and make their hair go flying.

Bakugou and Koge were completely still in confusion, though Koge blinked a few times when the dragon finally backed off, turning his back to both of them. "Ooh… He doesn't like me." She looked up at Bakugou, who was glowering at his friend. "He doesn't have a choice. Hey!" Bakugou set Koge down in the grass before he ran off after the dragon.

Koge was completely in awe of what was happening to her, watching as Bakugou hopped up onto the dragon's tail and ran up his back, even against loud roars of protest. She was freezing, both her ankles felt as if they were broken, and she was completely exhausted. But, this man that had attacked, threatened and belittled her had captured every bit of her interest. The fact that she could actually understand him nearly brought her to tears, and she found herself wanting to know everything about him.

On top of that, he smelled delicious. Not in a 'I could totally eat him' way, but in a way she couldn't entirely describe. It was almost like smoke and burning wood, which made sense being so close to a fire breather. On top of that, he was incredibly warm, as if he were coated in fire, and she wished that he would hold her again. She knew that, logically, she should be fearing for her life and struggling to escape. But, she didn't want to. She wanted to be around him, both for curiosity and because she just liked him. Any true hint of danger, she would be sure to flee, but for now she intended to play along.

"I'm not going to deal with this! You need to suck it up, I don't care what your problem is! We're taking her, and you're going to live with it!" Bakugou's voice reached her, standing on top of the dragons head between his horns. Koge couldn't help but relate it to the way a mother scolded their child, and she assumed that either they had grown up together or Bakugou had raised him later in life.

"I don't give a shit that you don't like her! What are you, jealous or some shit!? Come on!" Bakugou jumped from the dragon and landed on the ground with ease, now holding a chain in his hand. "I can't believe you're making me drag you around like a dog." He started to make his way back over towards Koge, giving the chain a firm tug. With a gurgled growl, the creature followed, head down in defeat. Koge looked up at them both, listening to the soft hiss that came from the dragon closely.

"He doesn't like me because I smell, he says. Oh, and because he doesn't trust other dragons." Koge scrunched her face up as Bakugou suddenly tossed something at her, nearly falling over from the weight of the fabric. She felt immediately warmed by the red cloth and swallowed in his scent, making her insides swirl with excitement. "What's this?"

"It's my cape. Put it on." Bakugou mumbled to her, digging through one of the pouches on his companions collar. Confused, Koge fumbled through the extremely dense fluffy white material and red fabric until she found two brown straps, which she assumed she was supposed to put her arms through. She did so, hugging the fabric around her body as it completely swallowed her. The feathery fluff completely surrounded her head, stopping right at her eyes, and it was incredibly soft against her skin. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Bakugou was silent for a moment, too busy with his entire torso down inside a large pouch looking for something, making Koge nearly laugh. When he finally emerged, he held a set of handcuffs, hooking one end into the chain that was around the dragon's neck. "I have to go back and get my supplies and catch some fish. I'd rather you not be frozen to death when I get back." He knelt down in front of her, holding out his hand. "Give me your arm."

Koge kept her gaze locked with his crimson glare, taking a moment to observe his features before she complied. The scowl on his face wrinkled his fair features, and she almost felt the urge to ask him what he was so angry about. She was curious what he looked like with a smile instead, but she had a feeling that wasn't a sight she would be blessed with. "You think I can walk with my ankles like this?" She stuck her arm out of the warm confines of the cape, allowing him to clasp the restraint on her wrist with no objections. "I think you can. I already know your kind has a high pain tolerance. I've fought one before." Bakugou stood once done, and there was enough slack that Koge could keep her arm within the cape.

"Hm, I guess that's true. They do hurt though. Will you be long?" Koge watched him head back towards the forest, a bit mesmerised by the way his body moved. "I'll be as long as I need to be." Bakugou snapped at her before vanishing behind the trees. Koge huffed, looking up at the red dragon she was strapped to as he laid down beside her. "It's kind of like talking to a brick wall, isn't it?"

The dragon gave a heavy sigh in agreement, laying his head down and closing his eyes. Koge gave a sigh of her own, beginning to feel sleepy, wrapped in warmth. Deciding that sleeping was the best way to past the time, she lied down in the grass, a soft purr escaping her.

"Katsuki… I wonder what he wants with me…"

As she dozed off, she vaguely noticed the shifting of her kin beside her and the soft whine he emitted fell on deaf ears. The hint of danger that he tried to express was ignored in favor of sleep, and Koge would awake in her ignorant state of bliss.


	3. Ice Cold Flames

The scent of cooking meat pulled Koge from sleep. At first, she laid there in silence, listening to her surroundings. She could still hear the deep, steady breathing of the large dragon beside her, joined in by the crackling of a fire. Although she could hear it, there was no warmth reaching her face, and she couldn't see any flickering light behind her eyelids. Keeping her face mostly hidden behind the fur of Bakugou's cape, Koge finally opened her eyes, a bit surprised to see that it was nearly dusk. Cautiously, she sat up, keeping the fabric of the cape wrapped tightly around her still nude from. She didn't much care about being exposed. There was more the worry of how cold it had become, her breath visible against the chilly air.

Suddenly, the sound of cracking wood startled her and she quickly looked over her shoulder, eyes landing first on the small fire. It flared up as more wood was thrown into it, the action pulling her gaze up to her captor. Focused on the fire, Bakugou snapped another twig before tossing it into the flames, sitting back down onto a rock as he finished. Either he hadn't noticed her wake, or he didn't care, working on turning a couple of fish he had skewered over the fire. Shivering a bit, Koge hugged the cape tighter around her, feeling the cold metal of the handcuff around her wrist.

"Can… you move me closer to the fire?" She spoke timidly, not even gaining a glance from him.

"Your legs should be healed by now," Bakugou removed the fish from the fire, poking at one of them to test it's tenderness. "Move yourself."

Koge huffed, first testing the slack on the chain before she pushed herself up to her feet. Once by the fire, she sat down on the grass beside Bakugou's rock, soaking in the added warmth of the flames. "You sure do know a lot about my kind. Where are you from?" She blinked in confusion as a fish on a stick was suddenly shoved into her face, carefully taking it from him.

Bakugou busied himself with eating at first, scoffing down the food like he hadn't eaten in days. He devoured two fish before he finally responded to her, putting another fresh fish on a stick to cook it. "Where I'm from is no concern of yours." Koge rolled her eyes, only half way done with her own fish. "Fine, then. Will you tell me how old you are, at least?" This time, she finally got a quick glance from him, the fire dancing in his crimson glare.

"Twenty four. What about you?"

Koge felt heat rush to her face at the question, not exactly expecting him to be curious about her. "I, uhm… Let's just say that when I was young, this forest was only just starting to grow." Bakugou gave a small grunt in response, turning his new fish over the fire. "So you're a good three hundred years? Maybe four?" Koge sighed, hiding her face a bit in the fluff of his cape as she grew embarrassed. "Three hundred and fifty six…"

"Damn, you are an old hag."

Glaring up at him, Koge went back to ripping into her fish, speaking through a full mouth. "Whatever, technically I'm in my twenties. Body wise… You jerk." Bakugou scoffed, resting his elbows on his thighs as he leaned over a bit, still cooking the new fish. "I could care less." Finishing up her fish, Koge placed it down onto the ground, a small belch escaping her lips. "Oof, I'm full. Well, if you could care less, then why did you ask me?" She scooted a bit closer to the fire, though couldn't go far as the chain that bound her grew taught. Bakugou looked at the chain, following it up to where it was connected to his companions collar. "No. I could care less about you thinking I'm a jerk."

"But… you care about what I look like, then?" Koge stuck her feet out from the cape, setting them as close as she could to the heat. Bakugou gave a small shake of his head, touching his fish to see if it was ready to eat. "No."

"You make no sense. You weird human. Will you take this chain off of me?"

"No."

Koge gave a groan in annoyance, hanging her head as she reached up to rub her temple. "You are literally a brick wall. The first human I can actually talk to in my entire life, and you suck at conversation."

"Fuck off. I'm not taking the chain off because you could run away, now." Bakugou began to eat, ignoring the glare from the woman beside him. "It stays on." Koge sighed loudly, flicking a piece of grass into the fire. "What if I have to relieve myself?"

"We'll deal with that when you need to."

"Ugh!" Koge flopped back to lay down, though she yelped out in pain as the back of her head met with a rock, hidden in the grass. "Ow! Rock…" As she reached up to rub the now sore spot, she was surprised to hear Bakugou give a sharp snort. It was almost a chuckle, but it was obvious he stopped himself, not wanting to seem so relaxed around her. Tossing the violent rock away, Koge shifted over to her side, staring up at his back. "Are you laughing at me?"

"No."

"You are, I heard it. Aren't you cold? You're only wearing pants and those… arm sleeves. Whatever those are. Do you want your cape back?" Koge couldn't help but to watch the form of his back, his muscles moving with every breath or movement he made to eat. For a human, he was incredibly strong, and the scars she could see told her that he had been through a lot. She wished that he would tell her about these things, her curiosity out of control. There was such a strong sense of anger and hate coming from him, and she wanted desperately to know why.

Bakugou gave a small shake of his head to her question, tossing down his third fish once done. "I don't need it. You do." Koge felt a bit of heat rush to her cheeks, hating how he could go from angry asshole to considerate asshole in less than a second. "I don't know why you're keeping me like this… And I know you won't tell me. But… Thank you for being decent to me. I know most people wouldn't… They'd treat me more like an animal…"

There was silence between them for a while, the crackling of the fire and light snoring of the large dragon behind them the only sounds. Eventually, Bakugou reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, rolling his shoulders a bit. "I like dragons more than people. Treating them like shit or having to kill them gets to me. Even if you were just a regular dragon, I wouldn't have you bound inhumanely or break your wings or any of that shit that other people do. I mean, my best friend is a dragon. He gets kind of pissy when I treat his kin like shit, anyways. He knows that sometimes it has to happen, but… I don't like it."

He picked up a leather flask, taking a large chug of the water inside before handing it out towards Koge. Carefully, Koge sat up and took it, sipping from it a bit timidly at first, listening to him continue speaking.

"Halflings are like… Humans with a dragons personality. Usually. Some of them have been conditioned to live more like humans, and they become scum just like the rest of them. You're more like a dragon than any halfling I've met before. I guess it's because you've lived as one for most of your life." Bakugou took the flask when she handed it back to him. "You're fucking annoying, and you ask too many questions. But I'm not going to treat you like an animal."

Koge tilted her head to the side a bit, observing his calm features as he stared into the fire. The sun had set by now, and the flames cast an orange glow over him that perfectly matched the raging inferno Koge knew to be tormenting his soul. As she looked upon the black tattoo on his shoulder, she suddenly came to a realization, recognizing the two dragons symbol.

"You… You're from the south, aren't you? I recognize that symbol now, it's from the dragon tribe. My father was from there, he had it branded on his thigh…" Bakugou's shocked glare met her own as Koge scooted a bit closer to him. "You're a clansman from there? How did you escape-"

"Shut up!" Bakugou barked at her, suddenly rising to his feet. "Mind your own fucking business!" Before Koge could interject, Bakugou kicked dirt onto the fire, putting it out and leaving them both in darkness. After blinking a few times, Koge's eyes adjusted to the dark, able to see clearly in low light. She stood as well, watching him as he stormed over towards his friend. The large dragon was now awake, peering down at them with an intense glare, as if he were ready to defend Bakugou at the snap of a finger. Hugging the cloth tightly around her body, Koge took a few steps towards them, growing confused. "I-I'm sorry if I said something wrong. I was just… I just noticed-"

"Well you need to stop fucking noticing shit! Keep your comments to yourself!" Bakugou waved for his friend to put his head down, in which the dragon complied, giving Bakugou access to the pouches on his collar. From it, he pulled a couple of blankets, both of them worn from excessive use. "Cross your legs, we're going to bed."

The red dragon growled and hissed at this statement, his anger obviously directed at Koge. Bakugou grabbed one of the smaller horns along the dragons cheek, giving it a small tug. "I'm not going through this again!"

Giving a series of low clicks, the dragon lifted his head and crossed his arms in front of him, creating a gap between his legs and chest. Bakugou didn't look back at Koge, pointing into the gap. "Get in."

Nervously, Koge approached, keeping her eyes locked with the dragon's glare. "He… doesn't mind?"

"Of course he fucking minds, but he doesn't have a choice. It's too cold to sleep in the tent. Get in!" Bakugou was obviously losing his patience, so Koge decided to quickly comply, carefully crawling up over the dragon's scaly arms and into the warm crevasse he had created. There was just enough room for two people, and Bakugou followed after her, tossing a blanket to Koge once he got in. It hit her in the face, though she kept her mouth shut, deciding that he was angry enough and that picking on him was worthless. By the time she got herself covered and settled down, Bakugou was already wrapped up, his legs pulled up so that he wouldn't touch her.

He didn't move an inch as the dragon lowered his head, covering the gap with his neck, but not crushing them. Koge cowered down a bit at first in fear, until she was comforted by the darkness and the warmth, a small sigh escaping her lips. Because she had slept all day, she was wide awake, and now found herself stuck in lonely silence with only her thoughts to occupy her.

Still able to see in the darkness, Koge watched Bakugou's form. At first, his breathing was heavy, a sign that he was still trying to calm himself from his burst of anger. Slowly, he began to relax, until his breathing was light and his posture loosened. His light snoring told Koge that he had fallen asleep and she couldn't help but find him incredibly cute. This anger and attitude was hiding a softness deep down, and he was protecting it fiercely.

 _Such a shame… If he opened up, I think that we could be friends… Oh well._

Koge wasn't sure how long she watched him, but she was eventually lulled to sleep by the sound of her larger kins heartbeat, pulled into fanciful dreams and visions of flames dancing in Bakugou's ice cold glare.


	4. Just A Game

"Huh? The nearest village? That seems like a weird place to want to go, if you're traveling south. That's back the other way." Koge swallowed her breakfast of deer meat, watching Bakugou as he adjusted the laces of his boots. He only gave her a quick glance, tying a knot once he was satisfied with the tightness. "You want to be butt naked? I'm going to sell those deer pelts this fat lard killed yesterday and get you some clothes." His ash blonde hair was blown out of place as the large dragon beside him gave a snort, blowing air and glowing embers from his nostrils at his human friend in retaliation.

Koge looked at the deer pelts hanging off the dragon's collar, feeling a bit of heat rush to her cheeks. "Oh. I mean, I guess that's fine. I'm okay just having your cape. I like it." Bakugou ruffled the embers from his hair, glaring up the large creature. "Hey, my hair is shit as it is, don't make it worse. And I don't care if you like it, I eventually want it back. It's how I keep warm when flying." Koge frowned, looking up towards the cloudy sky. It was still morning, but not a spec of sun came through the clouds, which were bumpy with the threat of snow. "Then… how are we going to fly? If I need it until I get clothes…"

"It's only a two hour flight compared to an entire day of walking. We'll just both have to be wrapped in it."

The heat in her cheeks spread through her entire body at this idea, shaking her head and taking a few steps back. "W-w-what?! Like… Cuddle? I don't think that's a good idea, Katsuki-"

"I told you not to call me by my first name! And it's not cuddling!" Bakugou snatched the chain that Koge was still tied to, giving it a small tug to urge her over. Reluctantly, she made her way to him. "But it is cuddling. That's the only way we can both be in the cape!" With an annoyed scowl, Bakugou handed her the blanket she had been sleeping in, ignoring her comment. "Take off the cape and wrap up in this."

Koge glowered up at him, holding out her wrist that still had the handcuff. "You have to take this off of me. I won't go anywhere." Bakugou kept his glare on her, obviously suspicious. With a click of his tongue, he removed the handcuff from her wrist, using a key that had been in his pocket. "You'll regret it if you try anything." Once free, Koge rubbed her wrist, frowning at the raw skin. "I already gave you my word that I wouldn't." Without any hesitation, Koge shrugged off the cape, not bothering to hide her body from him as she handed it over.

Bakugou quickly traded it for the blanket, keeping his head turned away. Koge could see the red hue grow in the tips of his ears, and she couldn't help but to giggle softly. "Aw, you get shy. How cute." Koge wrapped herself up, unfazed by the dark glare Bakugou gave her as he put on his cape. "Fuck off. We're going." He grabbed her by the arm, urging her forward towards the large dragons nose. Koge followed without struggle, surprised at how hot his palm was, even through the blanket. "That cape looks good on you. Very fitting." Bakugou scoffed, pointing his finger towards the ground to command the dragon to lower his head. "That's because it actually fits me, you shrimp."

Snarling at them, the large creature begrudgingly allowed the two to climb up onto the top of his head, where Bakugou took a seat beside one of his large horns. As he held his hand out towards her, Koge felt her cheeks grow warm, nervously shifting on her feet a bit. "But…-"

"Either you sit with me or you'll freeze to death. Pick."

"Okay, okay… How should I sit?" Koge felt her stomach swirling with nervous nausea, finding the thought of sitting on his lap sickening. Not in a way that she thought it was disgusting, but because she found herself ridiculously attracted to him. His looks, his smell, his fiery personality, everything about him had already thrown her into this state of pure romantic interest. It was stupid of her, and she could admit that to herself. Being interested in the man who had kidnapped her was pretty idiotic, especially still not knowing what he wanted with her.

Bakugou, however, did not feel the same. In fact, every moment he spent with this woman, the more he wanted to bail on his plan. How could he possibly turn her in when she was in the form? He would be with her for at least a week at this rate, and although he was doing his best to emotionally distance himself, a week was a long time. If she were a normal dragon, it would be an easy decision. But if he did sell her, he knew it would be to a life of human slavery. Sex, labor and beatings is all she would be subjected to, for the rest of her life.

Could he be so cruel, all for the sake of his selfish desire?

Now, he was forcing himself into this awkward situation, stuck between his goals and morality. "Sitting facing me would be the warmest." He could have sworn Koge's face turned as red as the scales on the dragon they were perched on, starting to become annoyed with her constant embarrassment. "Come on. We're wasting time!"

Taking in a deep breath, Koge gathered her courage and sat down on his lap. Straddling his legs and facing him, Koge kept her eyes on his chest, swallowing the lump that had grown in her throat. Still, she couldn't help the small squeak that left her lips as he pulled her in closer. Hooking his arms around her waist, Bakugou swallowed them both completely in his cape, covering Koge from head to toe. "Alright Red, let's go."

With a low growl in response, the dragon stood, giving his wings a good stretch. Koge could only feel his movements, her face pressed into Bakugou's shoulder. "Takeoff is a bit rocky, but it's smooth once he gets up there. Don't move if you don't want to be covered in ice." Koge gave a small nod to his warning, keeping her cheek pressed against his skin. "What about you? You're head is out…"

Bakugou steadied them a bit as they took off, tightening his grip on her. "Don't worry about me. Just focus on yourself." Koge frowned, already able to feel the cold seeping into the gaps in the fabric. Although he was so warm, so comfortable and so pleasant to hold, ice hung off his words. She felt a chill every time he spoke to her, but she also noticed that his cold nature seemed… forced. Or at least disingenuous in some way. She may have been reading too much into it, but the way he touched her and nearly laughed when she tripped over her own feet this morning told her otherwise.

When the ride finally became smooth, Koge heard Bakugou curse below his breath, leaning his face down into her shoulder. Lips now beside his ear, Koge spoke softly, hoping he could hear over the roaring wind. "Can I put my arms around you? It's kind of uncomfortable to have the squished between us…" Bakugou only gave a small nod in permission, though he felt a heat rise up into his ears at the feeling of her bare torso against his. He felt like an idiot, getting so flustered and embarrassed like this over a woman, like he was some type of inexperienced whelp. Still, it was warmer for the both of them, so he kept his frustrations to himself.

For a long time, they were silent. Koge focused on the sound of Bakugou's heartbeat and his breathing. With each exhale, the heat of his breath rolled across her back, sending chills over her skin. "You're so warm," Koge spoke, throat dry from a long silence. "Normal humans aren't like this. Or other humans I've been this close to aren't…" Bakugou shifted his head a bit, though didn't move otherwise. "Some people are just naturally warm. It's not that strange."

"It is strange. But I like it…" Koge turned her face a bit more into the crook of his neck. "I mean, you don't even shiver in the cold or anything… I think there's something special about you that you're keeping from me. Maybe now I can bug it out of you since you can't run away or push me off."

"I wouldn't test your fucking luck."

"Okay, how about we play a game."

"No-"

"I'll start. I'll tell you something about myself, and then you have to do the same with a similar subject or context. Or not, whatever you want to say."

"I said no-"

"Okay, here we go. I love fish, it's my favorite thing to eat."

Bakugou sighed in annoyance, tightening his grip on her like he was threatening to break her in half. "I… like things that have a lot of spice and heat. That would make a weak person cry." Koge giggled softly. "Oh ouch. It actually takes a lot to make me cry. Hitting me with a weighted rope is one of them." With a scoff, Bakugou turned his head away from her a bit, as if he were ashamed of what he had done. "I don't cry. Closest I got was as a teenager."

"I don't even remember being a teenager. We grow like normal humans until we hit about age twenty, then our body just stops. I didn't really expect to live like this to be honest." Koge shivered a bit from a sudden draft of cold, though was nearly immediately comforted by his palm against her back. "I guess I thought I would be more like my mother."

"Dragons can live to be thousands of years old, so obviously a halfling would get some of that. This lazy fuck here is my age, but he's still young. That's why he's such a brat at times. We basically grew up together." Bakugou ignored the low growl that came from his companion, who was obviously able to hear them, even as they spoke softly. Koge gave a soft purr, finding the retaliation humorous. "He obviously still really cares about you, being so willing to listen to everything you say. For the most part, it seems. He's really the first dragon I've met in a long time… I've been by myself for nearly a hundred years, now. I tried to live among humans for a long time, but… since I can't understand them I eventually gave up."

"I've been on my own since I was sixteen. I don't get along with people, so I know the feeling."

Koge turned her head just a bit to see some of his face, a bit surprised to catch his gaze. "You get along with me. I think. I still just don't know why I can understand you… It has to be because where you're from. If you won't tell me, can I guess?"

Bakugou was silent for a while, glaring at her with this strange intensity that Koge couldn't really interpret. It was like he was angry, but also longing, as if he wanted to talk to someone about what was ailing him. But how could he? In this short time, he had already opened up to her way more than he had ever wanted. Her level headed personality drew him in like a magnet, feeling like he could say anything and everything to her without the fear of being judged. He felt calm around her. So calm, in fact, that he had actually been able to sleep right beside her without the fear of her trying to kill him to escape. He hadn't even brought a weapon with him to sleep last night, when usually he always had a dagger within immediate reach no matter where he slept.

Bakugou had never had this odd type of emotional connection with any woman before. Yes, he slept with them whenever he reached a town, and yes he enjoyed it as a quick way to relieve stress. But, in all his years doing so, a woman had never caught his attention like this.

And he hated it.

At the time he needed to be the most emotionally distant, to treat this creature as nothing but just that, he couldn't. She was like this bright light in the darkness, while he was a little moth, drawn to her with this indescribable force that nearly made him dizzy. He had to shut this down, to burn these feelings into nothing but ashes, or he wouldn't be able to trade her in like he planned.

She had to be nothing to him.

She had to be nothing but a creature.

"No. And if you ask again, I'll gag you for the rest of the trip so that you can't say another word."

Koge felt her stomach drop, suddenly wishing that she could leave him. What was she thinking, that she could get close to him like this? Maybe fleeing would be her best option, the next instant she found an opening. Just because she could talk to this human didn't mean there was something special between them. No matter what he said the previous night, she truly was just an animal to him.

Choking back the sudden wave of emotion that hit her, Koge turned her head away. Bakugou no longer felt comfortable to hold. Instead, he felt like a stone statue, cold and void of any humanity. His hot breath on her shoulder no longer sent chills down her spine, but instead made her skin crawl. "Okay, Bakugou… I'll be quiet, then. I don't know what I was trying to do..."

The rest of the trip was spent in silence, not a word or movement shared between the two, and Bakugou could only hope that his efforts would be effective. He couldn't get close to her.

No matter how much he found himself wanting to.


	5. Captor or Protector?

When they finally landed about half a mile from the small town, Koge felt as if she were frozen to the core. Sure, holding onto Bakugou had kept her warm, but the harsh way he treated her made her feel like she was made of ice. Coming to a stop, she was quick to remove herself from him, holding the blanket around her body tightly as she slid down the bridge of the dragon's nose. Bakugou was silent as he stood, rolling his shoulders and popping his neck before he did the same. His crimson glare met with the orange eyes of his large companion, who was looking at him with a firm annoyance. Scoffing, Bakugou walked around to stand in front of his muzzle, ruffling his hair to rid himself of the ice that had stuck to the strands. "Don't look at me like that, Red. Just warm me up."

With a low growl, the dragon opened his mouth wide, the pit of his throat beginning to glow a dangerous yellow, flames flickering at the back of his tongue. Bakugou let out a sigh, reaching up to rub his face as the heat warmed him. "Fuck, your breath smells like shit." Adjusting his belts a bit, he looked over towards Koge, who was standing off by herself, shivering.

"Hey, come over here and warm yourself."

No response came from her, nor did she move a muscle.

"Hey! Can you hear me?!"

"I have a name. Maybe you should use it. Or would you rather just gag me." Koge glared at him over her shoulder, her tail swishing about behind her angrily. Bakugou returned the glare, rolling his eyes. "Oh fuck off. Not a single thing I said this entire time hurt your feelings, but that did? You're a moron." Koge only gave a growl, her tail slapping against the ground. "You're the moron. Either do what you want with me or let me go!" Suddenly, Bakugou's cape was tossed at her and she caught it out of reflexes.

"Put that on and shut up! We are going in to buy clothes, then I'll do whatever the fuck I want. With or without you."

Koge rolled her eyes, putting the cape on over the blanket for extra warmth. "What does that even mean?!" Bakugou ignored her as he pulled all the pelts he had from the dragons collar, hanging them off his belt and over his shoulders as he glared up at his friend. "You stay here and stay out of sight of the village. We don't need another mob after you." The dragon gave a low hum, laying down with his head on the ground. As Bakugou began to head towards the smoke rising from the village chimneys, he grabbed Koge by the arm with his free hand, dragging her along until she started to walk on her own.

"You are the worst human I've ever met! Even the ones I couldn't understand were nicer to me." Koge kept the cloth around her body tightly, fumbling a bit over some uneven ground. Bakugou adjusted the pelts on his back, keeping his glare ahead of him. "I'm doing more for you than anyone else would. These pelts? I was going to sell them for myself, to get the money I need. But what am I doing? I'm selling them to buy you clothes. You think I'm out here hunting just because I think it's fun? I fucking hate it! Maybe you should be grateful, since I'm sacrificing my work for you!"

His rant fell on silence, his loud voice echoing off over the frozen hills. Koge glared at the ground as they walked, feeling a head rise up into her cheeks. She was so confused. What did the guy even want with her? What did-

Suddenly, Koge stopped, staring up at Bakugou with wide, fearful eyes. "You… you want to sell me. Don't you?" Bakugou stopped as well, though he didn't turn to face her. He was such an idiot. He had literally just told her what he was doing without even realizing it. Now what was he supposed to do? Lie? Let her go? Convince her to stay with him?

Tell her the truth?

"Look…" He glanced back at her, surprised that she hadn't taken off running yet. "If you just work with me… Let me take you to get clothes, eat some real food and bathe in the bathhouse, I will tell you what I'm doing when we get back to Red. Deal?" Koge stood in silence for a moment, gazing upon her captor suspiciously. She wanted to trust him, and though every inch of her instinct told her something was wrong, the deep worry behind his glare kept her grounded. With a heavy sigh, Koge gave a small nod. "Okay… I'll give you that chance. But if I don't like it… I'm going to fight to escape."

The two stared at each other for a long while, before Bakugou turned and continued walking on in silence. Koge followed without any objection, and the rest of the walk to the village was a quiet one.

Right before they got to the village, Bakugou stopped, putting down the pelts and turning to face Koge. "Open the cape." Even though she was a bit confused, Koge obeyed command. Without another word, Bakugou reached into the cape and grabbed onto the blanket around her shoulders, pulling it up over her head before tying it under her chin. "You hide your horns and your tail under the cape. If this falls off and anyone asks, it's a headpiece." Koge felt her face flush with heat, only able to manage a small nod. Bakugou turned away when finished, allowing her to cover back up.

"Don't try to talk to anyone." Bakugou picked back up the pelts. "Pretend that you're mute. No one can know what you are." Koge wrapped herself back up tightly, her tail wrapping around one leg to stay hidden. "Well… let's hope no one recognizes me."

Bakugou looked back at her in confusion, eyebrow raised. "Eh?"

Narrowing her eyes at him, Koge shifted in her spot a bit, half her face hidden in the fluff of his cape. "You think I don't want a little bit of human interaction every once in a while? Even if I can't have decent conversations, I still like to be around people sometimes… And this is the only village within a days walk from the forest. "

"And when was the last time you came here?"

"About a month ago…"

With an annoyed sigh, Bakugou hung his head and stood silent for a moment, considering the thought of just leaving her here. But then, he wouldn't be able to get her clothes that fit or have her bathe, which was the whole point of this. Finally deciding that he didn't have much of a choice, he started to make his way forward. "You're an idiot for coming here without hiding your horns and tail. You do realize people wouldn't hesitate to sell you to slave traders."

Koge followed him, adjusting the blanket on her head a bit. "Well, unless they knocked me out or had tools to damage my horns, I'd change before they could do anything. I don't breathe fire, but I do have this breath that can melt the skin off your bones. And my claws are pretty brutal, which I'm sure you saw yesterday. I can take care of myself."

"That or you'd just talk them to death."

"Huh? I'm not talking that much!"

Bakugou scoffed, walking closer to her as they started to approach a populated street. "You're bragging." Koge glowered up at him, ignoring the strange looks the two were getting. "I'm confident. Is that a bad thing?"

"No. I like that."

Koge immediately fell silent, a blush ravaging her cheeks. He hadn't said that in any sort of romantic or flirty way, but it still brought a bubble to her stomach. He doesn't make any sense! Damn it…

Before Koge could say another word, Bakugou stopped abruptly. She was able to skid to a halt before ramming into him, glaring at the back of his head. "Hey, what-"

"Stay here," Bakugou snapped at her, returning the glare over his shoulder. "Just stand here and don't draw attention to yourself. I'm going inside to sell these." He was through the wooden door to the hide shop before she could protest, hanging her head a bit in frustration. "Okay, then?" Grumbling to herself quietly, Koge leaned back against the wall of the building, observing the villagers as they went about their daily lives.

This village wasn't exactly the richest, so most people were dressed in dirty rags, with unkempt hair and no shoes. It didn't help that this particular area was where most of the homeless or poor lived, so there was also an awful odor that made Koge tuck her nose more into the fluff of the cape. Bakugou's scent was easily able to overpower the stench of human filth, something that Koge was elated about, especially as she watched a drunkard vomit not more than ten feet from her.

Still, Koge felt bad for these humans. They were ravaged by time and disease, something that would bury them all into the ground eventually. If she avoided injury, Koge knew she could easily live to be at least a thousand years old, if not more. Many people would kill for that type of immortality, but Koge wished that someone would take it from her. Her three hundred years had been lonely, with no family and with no way to properly communicate with people. She wasn't a human, and she wasn't a dragon. She fit in nowhere, and now that she had found someone she could actually talk to, he ended up being the absolute worst.

Koge couldn't get the thought out of her head that maybe, just maybe, she could fit in with him. There was just this wall that he had built up around himself, so thick that it would probably take powerful magic to get through. Just like her, Bakugou seemed lonely, though that wasn't something she could really tell for sure. What she could tell, however, was that he had an incredible burden hanging on his shoulders. It was nearly crushing him under its weight, pushing him forward even as it killed him. Whatever it was, Koge just had to wait until they left the village to find out.

Suddenly, her attention was pulled over towards her right, hearing a whistle. Near an opening to an alley, a group of five men were standing around, all eyes on her. As one of them called out to her, Koge pulled the cloth around her tighter, looking away. She couldn't understand him, his jumbled words nearly bringing tears to her eyes. After spending time around someone who she could actually understand, hearing that familiar mess of sound in her ears made her want to run inside to be with Bakugou. For protection? Or for familiarity? Koge wasn't sure, it was such a mix of strong urges, she couldn't pinpoint an exact reason. But, five men all staring at one extremely small woman and whistling at her was never a good sign.

Fear became the prominent feeling as one of the men suddenly approached her, pressing one hand against the wall beside her head. The smirk on his face told her that he was saying something horribly provocative to her, but all Koge could really focus on was his stench. Body odor, filth and the scent of blood was so powerful at this proximity that even Bakugou's scent on his cape gave her no reprieve. When there was no response from her, the man snapped his fingers in front of her face, obviously trying to get her eyes on his face. His attempt was successful, though Koge immediately regretted eye contact.

The filthy human nodded towards his friends, to which Koge took the chance of looking over again. Instantly, he took advantage of her momentary distraction, starting to push her over towards the group. Being so small with no clothes and no way to defend herself, Koge was easily pushed along, her bare feet slipping along the mud. All of their voices, all of their jumbled words were beginning to make her dizzy, unable to think of a way to escape the situation. Should she scream out for Bakugou or for help in general? She saw people passing by, covering their faces with their scarves or looking away when they laid eye on the scene.

Koge knew that in such a village stricken by poverty, crime was high, and the villagers knew better than to stick their nose into other peoples business. Even if that business was rape, thievery or even murder. There was a reason Koge never came to this side of the village when she did come to visit, preferring to stay in the wealthier areas, where a cleaner man would offer her a room and food in exchange for pleasurable company, even with her disability.

"Woah, what's going on here?"

Instantly, all attention was pulled to the familiar and pleasantly clear voice, Bakugou standing behind the group with his hands in his pockets. Much to Koge's surprised, he had a calm expression, observing all the men with a subtle intensity. One of the men scoffed at him, waving him away.

"Fuck of, blondie, you're obviously too rich to be in this part of town. Why don't you just go buy a whore and we'll take this one for free."

Bakugou took a few steps forward, forcing himself into the circle of men. He towered over them, his broad shoulders and muscular frame making them look like twigs. "But this one is my whore. If you're going to use her, I expect compensation." Bakugou kept his crimson glare locked with Koge's fearful gaze, removing his hands from his pockets. Another man pointed towards Koge, snarling at Bakugou with a grin of missing teeth. "Compensation of what, you prick? Do we look like we have fucking money?"

With a roll of his shoulders, Bakugou shook his head. "Eh, that's fine. I'll just take your teeth."

Before the men could comprehend what he meant, Bakugou's fist met the toothless mans face, sending him flying backwards into a pile of discarded garbage. Koge watched with wide eyes as Bakugou took out two other men with ease, punching one so hard in the abdomen that he vomited what little contents were in his stomach before collapsing unconscious. The other had his face meet Bakugou's kneepad before he too was toss into the mud, beside the footsteps of those that had scrambled away. Bakugou scoffed, cracking his knuckles as he placed his foot atop one of the defeated men's head, squishing it further down into the mud. "Fucking scum."

Koge swallowed the lump that had grown in her throat, timidly taking a few steps towards him. "Thank you…" Bakugou's glare turned back to her, his nose scrunching a bit in annoyance. "For fucks sake… I can't even leave you alone for ten minutes? I thought I told you to not draw attention to yourself!"

"But I didn't!" Koge protested, lifting her head a bit more out of the fluff. "I was just standing there and one dragged me over… I got so scared I think I would have changed the instant one touched me…" She gave a small jump as Bakugou's fingers lightly touched her cheek before he gripped her chin, turning her face from side to side. "I can see that… you have scales growing in and your fangs are sharper. But you can calm down now. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Koge gave a small nod, missing his touch as he pulled his hand away. "Did you get money?"

"Yes, enough for everything I want to do. First, let's go bathe then we will get your clothes. Stay close, I'm not letting you out of my sight again."

"Okay. Uhm… why did you call me your whore?"

"Because they were going to rape you. I had to say something outrageous to get in there and stop them long enough to judge their strength."

"Oh… I couldn't understand them so I was really confused. If you want, I can pretend to be that while we're here so people don't try to get to me."

"...I'll think about it."


	6. Play Pretend

NSFW Chapter

"Huh? T-Together? Is that even allowed?" Koge watched with a confused gaze as Bakugou paid the woman at the front of the bathhouse, who didn't even look up at them from folding pieces of cloth while sitting behind the makeshift desk. Bakugou just tossed the amount shown on the crumbling sign into a pot before heading into the building, expecting Koge to follow. "You think they give a shit?" Having expected that type of answer from him, Koge gave a small roll of her eyes before following, holding the cape around herself tightly. "What if I give a shit?"

Bakugou scoffed, grabbing one of the neatly folded cloths off a table as he passed it. "What, now you're scared of me seeing you naked?" Koge mimicked his action, taking a quick sniff of the fabric to make sure it was at least mostly clean. It smelt of some type of soap, so she assumed it had been washed thoroughly enough. "Ah… No. I-I mean…" She only caught his glare for a moment as he turned into a stall, before her eyes quickly downcast to the soggy wood flooring at her feet.

"Just shut up and get in here before someone tries to swoon you into their stall instead."

Koge reluctantly scuttled inside, stomach lurching a bit at the sound of the sliding door snapping shut. Looking back at it, she saw that it was horribly unkempt, the paper over the door yellowed and covered in holes. "I guess people like to peek in…" The sound of shuffling caught her attention and she looked back at Bakugou, feeling heat rush to her face as he was already stripped of everything but his pants. "I-I can't believe you're serious about this!"

He glared at her, unbuttoning his pants with no shame or embarrassment. "It costs double to use two stalls, and I'm not going to let you be alone, like I said, so taking turns is out of the question. The tub is big enough for both of us." Koge dragged her eyes from him to look down at the steaming water, finding that she very much wanted to just jump right in and warm her frozen body. Deciding that he was right, she carefully removed his cape and the blanket underneath, leaving her bare. Crossing her arms over her chest tightly, she kept her eyes down, unable to gather the courage to glance up at Bakugou as he stepped out of his pants.

Still, the urge was too much and she couldn't help just a tiny glance up, eyes only landing on his bare knees for a split second. _God, even his knees are perfect. How could I be attracted to knees?!_

"Hey."

His voice made her jump, her gaze locking with his immediately. "What's the deal? I know that in your eight hundred years you've seen a naked man." Koge gasped, glaring at him as he slipped into the water with a smug smirk on his face. "Excuse me?! I am not eight hundred years old! How dare you insult me like that, I'm still young!" She flinched away a bit as he flicked water on her, the droplets warming her skin. "Shut the fuck up and get in, you hag."

Grumbling, Koge carefully stepped into the tub, a bit surprised to see that the first ledge wasn't very deep at all. In comparison, the second ledge was very deep, and when she sat on it, the water came up to her chin. Though, she couldn't complain, a pleasured sigh leaving her lips. "Ah, warm…" Leaning back, she stared across the water at her companion, who had his arms up on the first ledge. Though he was sitting on the same level she was, the water only came up to his chest, which made Koge feel even smaller.

"About your naked man comment, yes I have seen quite a few naked men in many different scenarios. But none of them have been like you." Koge watched her hair as it floated about her face, not seeing Bakugou narrow his eyes at her. "Eh? What is that supposed to mean? Just because you can understand me, that makes it different?"

With a small nod, Koge brought her hand up out of the water to run her fingers through her hair. "Yeah… I mean, I guess that's what makes it different. That, and you're-" Suddenly realizing she was crossing a line, she stopped, sucking in a breath and sinking into the water up to her nose. She avoided looking at him, though she could feel his glare on her.

"I'm what? Spit it out!"

Koge glanced up at him timidly before sitting back up with a sigh. "You're… the most attractive man I've been around in a while. A long while actually… Even your knees are sexy…"

Suddenly, the man in front of her burst out laughing, startling her with the volume and new sound she had yet to grow familiar with. Every other time, he had stopped himself from laughing. But this time, he had let it out, even if it was a horribly condescending type of tone. "My fucking knees? Are you kidding me?" The snarky grin on his face brought heat to Koge's cheeks, and she sunk back down again with a small shake of her head. Bakugou leaned his head back, giving a loud, drawn out sigh. "Oh fuck… You're so weird."

Koge glowered at him, flicking a bit of water in his direction. "Just take the compliment without being judgmental, Bakugou."

 _"Eh? Bakugou? Did you hear that?"_

 _"Is he in here?"_

 _"I heard that a few stalls down. No one else has that name, it has to be him."_

Instantly, Bakugou grew tense, looking towards those voices and the sounds of quick movement. He pushed himself up to sit on the first ledge, crimson glare darting between his sword and Koge, who was staring up at him in confusion. I can't fight in here, and not fucking butt naked either. Shit, I don't even recognize those voices… and if they see her horns-

"Koge!" He hissed at her, low and firm enough to make her flinch a bit. Footsteps were quickly starting to make their way down the hall, the sound of sliding doors snapping open sending a panic through his body. "Remember what you said when I saved you?"

Koge blinked a few times, nodding. "That… I could pretend to be your whore?"

"You're going to have to. Right now."

Fire and embarrassment rushed through Koge like a wave and she quickly shook her head, staring at his hand as he held it out towards her. "W-w-what?! Right now? What-"

"Sh!" Bakugou snapped at her, though Koge could see the panic behind his glare. "I don't know who these people are. If they see you sucking me off, maybe they'll leave. I can't fight in here. It's the only distraction we have time for and they can't see your horns." The sound of a small shriek and door snapping open close to them startled Koge a bit, looking at the shadows moving about behind the yellowed semitransparent wallpaper.

"Koge!"

Now running on pure panic impulse, Koge nodded and was yanked towards him not a second after she took his hand. She gave a small wince as he knees bumped roughly into the second ledge of the tub, though that was nothing to the shock she felt at meeting face to face with his flaccid manhood. "A-a-ah, B-Bakugou-" She was silenced as the cloth he had picked up at the entrance was suddenly laid over her head and his lap. What was she supposed to do? Just move her head like she was doing it? Would that look real enough? Sure, Koge was no stranger to this, but not only was this a situation she had never been in, he was totally limp.

Keeping her voice low, she glanced up at him through a gap in the cloth, catching his gaze. "I-I don't mind, but are you sure you want me to?"

"Yes!"

Hearing the footsteps right outside of their stall now, Koge stared at the admittedly attractive flesh that was just an inch from her nose. Taking in a sharp breath as Bakugou placed his hand on the top of her head, she decided that it needed to be all or nothing, if it would hopefully keep them from confrontation. Though, as she began her work, she knew it wasn't just the situation that pushed her to do this. She wanted to, the thought sending tingles across her skin.

There wasn't much time to imagine this as the door to their stall suddenly snapped open, and Koge felt Bakugou jump beneath her hands on him.

"What the fuck do you want!? I'm kind of fucking busy at the moment!" Bakugou barked at the intruders, his grip growing tighter on her head as she made her movements more exaggerated. Koge was sure to keep her tail between her legs, knowing that they would be able to see it through the water.

"Tch, you're making enough money to buy a whore, but not enough to pay us back, eh? Your interest is getting higher and higher, Bakugou."

"Oh fuck off, you gave me three years to pay you back, and I told you I would be able to before the third year is up. I still have eight months left. So why don't you take your little lackeys there and go fuck each other to keep yourselves occupied."

Although Koge couldn't understand what was being said by the other man, she nearly lost her composure at Bakugou's insult, having to distract herself by increasing her efforts. Although he wasn't letting his voice waiver, Koge could tell that he was having trouble keeping his mind off of her actions. It was obvious that he liked what she was doing, and Koge wondered if he would want her to stop once the men left.

"You better watch your mouth, you Dragon scum! Just because you're some type of royalty filth doesn't mean you can talk down to me! You came to me for help, and I can easily change my fucking mind!"

"You wouldn't. I offered you double in return, and your pick from my homeland. If you want that, then you'll fuck off. Now. I only have an hour with this bitch, I'd like to enjoy my last thirty minutes without you assholes watching me." He held back a hiss as Koge dug her nails in retaliation to him calling her a bitch, though the pain was very quickly drowned out by the pleasure. _Damn she's good at this. I can't keep up much longer… Get out of here you fuckers!_

With a scoff, the sliding door closed with a loud snap, footsteps heading down the hallway. "You'd better watch yourself, Bakugou. Your attitude will get you into serious trouble one day."

Once he was sure they were gone, Bakugou let out a sharp gasp and pulled the cloth off Koge's head. "Fuck, you didn't have to go all in! That's enough!" At his command, Koge reluctantly removed him from her mouth. She gazed up at him intently, his heavy breathing and flushed cheeks edging her on to continue. "I… I can finish if you want."

Bakugou shook his head, placing his hand back on the top of her head. "That's not necessary-"

"I'm not asking if it's necessary. I want to."

The two stared at each other in silence for a moment before Bakugou released her head, resting both elbows on the edge of the tub. Although he was silent, he gave a nearly unnoticeable nod, urging her to continue. Koge immediately went back to work, eager to finish.

Her own arousal spiking, her tail slipped up further between her legs, pleasuring herself.

"Are you touching yourself?"

Koge's only response was to look up at him as she increased her efforts. This obviously excited him as he couldn't hold back a grunt, one hand coming down to grab onto one of her horns. There was no more control to how lewd Koge was being, stimulating them both to the best of her ability. Though, just as she thought he was going finish in her mouth, he gripped her other horn and pushed her head off of him. "Ah, fuck!" She was unable to help but give a small jump at the sudden hot feeling of his release on her face.

The feeling of him pulsing hard against her hands and the sounds he made helped to push herself over the edge, sighing and gasping softly at the waves of pleasure rolling over her body. Finishing up, she looked back up at him, surprised to see him staring down at her in red face bewilderment. Quickly, Koge scurried away from him and back to the other side of the tub, hiding her face half beneath the surface of the water.

Bakugou brought a hand up and rubbed his face. "What the fuck just happened…"

"I sucked your dick-"

"No shit! I didn't know you were such a slut!"

Koge sent a huge splash of water towards him, glare on her face. "Excuse me?! I am not! I did that just like you asked, as a distraction!"

Bakugou ruffled the water out of his hair, glaring right back at her. "Shut up! You did that more than just for distraction, you wanted to! I've never had my dick sucked like that before, you're fucking insane!" Pouting, Koge crossed her arms over her chest, cheeks bright red. "So you liked it, then?" Moving to sit back on the second ledge, Bakugou looked away from her. "You still have my fucking cum on your face." Koge reached up and wiped it off with her hand, sly smirk on her face. "That means you did like it."

"Go screw yourself."

"Oh here, you want it back? Here, take it!"

"Get away from me!"


	7. Trust

"Hey! Are you mad at me?"

Koge leaned forward a bit to try and see Bakugou's face, pouting a bit as he merely turned his head away from her, glaring off at the buildings as they walked by them. "Hello? Why won't you talk to me, now? I want to know what those men were saying to you! Do you owe them money? What are they getting from your homeland?" Bakugou growled in annoyance, reaching up to ruffle his still damp hair. "Shut up. Can't you fucking wait until we get back to Red like I told you?"

Unsatisfied with that response, Koge sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine, fine. Won't you talk to me like normal, then? Like, that food we just ate was pretty awful. I liked your fish from last night much better."

No response.

It had been like this going on at least half an hour now, where he wouldn't even look at her or say anything that didn't involve telling her to shut up. Reaching the end of her patience with this, she snatched him by the arm, dragging his stubborn ass into an alleyway, far enough way so that no one could hear them.

"Hey, let me go!"

"No! Let me say something to you, and you're gonna listen." Koge snatched him by the chin, forcing him to look down at her, even if it was a glare. "I want you to tell me what's wrong. You're the one teasing me for being embarrassed about being around you naked. Are you embarrassed that I sucked you off? Is that your problem? I mean, it's obvious you've had it before."

"Yeah, but I never stuck around afterwards unless we kept going! And then after that I bailed, too! I never gave a shit about any of those women or actually _knew_ them!"

Koge raised an eyebrow at him, releasing his face to cross her arms. "So what are you saying? That you can't even look at me anymore? Did your opinion of me change that much?"

"Yes!" Bakugou shoved his hands into his pant pockets, glaring off at the wall again. "But… not in a bad way. But right now I can't look at you without thinking about doing it again! I just need to forget about it, alright!" Unable to help herself, Koge began to snicker, nudging him in the side playfully. "Oh man, I must have completely blown your mind! Don't worry, maybe if you ask nicely I'll do it again for you later. If you say please!"

"Oh fuck off!" Bakugou put his hand on her face and pushed her back as he walked away, back towards the street. Giggling, Koge followed, her stomach fluttering violently. She couldn't believe how cute and shy he was being about all of this. Besides the awkwardness of still having to be around her afterwards, she was curious as to what else was really getting to him. It was obvious to her that he liked her more than he was admitting, but she wasn't sure how to get the truth out of him. For now, she decided to leave him be, and focus on getting the clothes she desperately needed.

After walking for a bit longer, Bakugou stopped at a clothing shop and allowed her in first. Glancing around a bit, Koge gave a small whistle, impressed by the selection. "Wow, for such a poor village, this place is doing well for itself. I guess the more wealthy need to dress, too. But are you sure this is okay?" She looked up at Bakugou as he came in behind her. "This is expensive…" With a scoff, Bakugou walked past her. "I don't care. Just pick something that fits you and that is warm enough."

"You got it."

"Tch…"

When Koge was done, she settled on a pair of black lace up ankle boots with fur on the inside, white skin tight pants and a black turtleneck bodysuit that had a slit up the back to accommodate her tail, since nothing long sleeved was to her liking. Since the bodysuit did have thin sleeves, she also picked a cape for warmth, which also had a hood incase she needed to hide her horns again.

"How's this?" She questioned Bakugou when she came out of the room they had for changing. Bakugou only gave her one glance over before he turned to leave, having already paid when she picked the clothes. "Good. Let's go." With a huff, Koge trotted after him, promptly pulling up her hood and hiding her tail within the cape as they stepped outside. "Not even a single compliment? How do I know if I look okay if that's all I get?"

"I said 'good', is that not enough for you?" Bakugou snarled down at her, though Koge was unaffected. "Well… I guess coming from you that's good enough. Thank you, Bakugou-" A squeak escaped her lips as he covered her mouth, shushing her. "I told you not to call me that anymore here. Call me Katsuki, no one knows that name." Koge nodded as she stared up at him, unable to help the blush that crept across her cheeks. "Oh… Okay. I thought you said you only let people you care about call you that?"

Bakugou adjusted his cape a bit on his shoulders as he walked, glare locked in front of him. "It's only while we're here. Once we are back on the road, it's back to normal. Get it?" Koge nodded, feeling the butterflies in her stomach going crazy. "Got it… Katsuki."

Not responding, Bakugou refused to look down at her again, even though he was struggling with the urge to never take his eyes off her. He couldn't deny that he liked the sound of his first name coming from her lips, soft and alluring. But, no matter how much he liked it, he couldn't get over the guilt of what he had allowed to happen in the bathhouse. He would have been better off fighting those vultures off while butt naked, at least that would have spared him these unbearable feelings. They only grew worse the closer they came to the edge of town, as he knew he was going to have to tell her something to satisfy her curiosity and get her to stay with him willingly.

The problem he had with that was that she was just too intuitive. Sure, he could come up with some bullshit lie, but if she tried to pry, he wouldn't be able to keep up with it. Somehow, this woman could see right through him, all the way to the vulnerable things he was trying so desperately to hide. Although he knew he shouldn't, Bakugou found himself wanting to confide in her. He wanted to tell her about what he had gone through and what his plans were, to maybe find some comfort or even support from her. Still, there was the fact that he was going to sell her for the money he needed.

He was.

He had to.

He could not allow his mistake he made in the bathhouse to be repeated. The trip to the trading center was a decently long trip, a few days or longer, depending on the weather. If they were already this close, Bakugou could only imagine what he may have the urge to do with her in his presence.

"I'm glad that you trust me."

"Eh?" Bakugou was yanked from his thoughts, looking down at the woman beside him. He hadn't even realized they had exited the village, now on the path back to his friend. "Why do you say that?"

Koge's eyes were on the ground, cheeks dusted with a pink hue. "You didn't think that I would run away the entire time in the village. And you even bought me a dagger." She patted the weapon that rested on her hip. "Now soon, you're going to finally tell me about you… You have to trust me, if you're doing all of this." Bakugou felt his stomach clench as she looked up at him, soft, genuine smile on her lips.

"Thank you, Katsuki."

That smile was something he had yet to see, and it only increased her beauty tenfold. Bakugou felt this nearly irresistible urge to run from her, and he almost followed through with that if not for the fact his legs felt like solid bricks. Koge looked away from him, though her smile didn't fade as she gazed longingly at the ground. "I… hope that we can stay friends."

Bakugou clenched his fists tightly, feeling a fire starting to boil within him. He needed to calm down, to distance himself again as fast as he could. "Tch, why would I want to be friends with you." Koge giggled softly, her tail swishing about behind her happily. "Because you like me. I can tell. I still don't really get why you captured me, but honestly, I'm kind of glad you did. I haven't had this much fun in my entire life!" Koge clapped her hands together, wide grin on her face. "I finally have someone I can talk to! It feels like I finally have a place to belong."

Suddenly, Bakugou stopped, making Koge come to a halt as well. "Katsuki?" Looking back at him, she at first thought that her statement had freaked him out. Instead, his shocked gaze was in front of them, his eyes widening in horror with his mouth agape.

"Red…"

"Wha-?" Koge looked back in front of them, a gasp escaping her lips before she covered her mouth. The problem was not what was there, but what wasn't. The spot where they had left the large dragon was void of life, only a series of deep gashes in the earth where a struggle had taken place. Blood stained the ground, seeping into the dirt and coating the grass. Otherwise, there wasn't a single item left. No body parts, no supplies, and no sign of who it was that had attacked.

There was nothing.

"Red!" Bakugou called out as he ran towards the site of ruin, looking around frantically for any sign of his friend. Whatever had happened, the amount of blood that was on the ground told him that it would be a miracle if the dragon was still alive and the fact that there were no tracks meant that something had to of carried him up into the air. Often, dragon hunters used larger dragons as transportation and a way to attack. That had to be it. That's the only way they would have been able to take Red down.

Now what?

A sudden wave of hopelessness washed over him and he fell to his knees, leaning forward with his hands on the blood soaked dirt. "They took him. Someone-" Breathing heavily, he dug his fingers into the dirt, mind fighting between agony and rage. His closest friend, his only family was gone. Leaning forward, Bakugou pressed his forehead into the ground, clawing at the ground, as if something beneath its surface would help him save his friend. "Fuck! I let him go again!"

Koge stood frozen in her spot, only able to watch as Bakugou screamed and attacked the ground with his fists. What could she do? What could she say? That dragon was like Bakugou's brother, such a loss would surly drive someone insane. Koge could barely remember the pain she felt when both of her parents passed away, as that was over two hundred years ago. There had never been another person Koge had grown close to until now, so she was unsure of how to sympathise with him. But she had to do something, had to find some way to help him.

As a large breeze passed by, a scent hit Koge's nose like a punch to the face. It as so pungent that she had to bring a hand up to cover her nose, her face contorting in disgust. It was the scent of a dragon, but not a pleasant scent like Red. It smelt like a dragon that had been abused, wounded and rotting with infection. The scent of humans was barely noticeable behind the stench, and even lower than that was…

Blood. Red's scent.

"Katsuki!" Koge suddenly spat out, running over to him. "Katsuki! Listen to me!" She placed her hand on his back, to which he reacted violently, pushing her back and nearly sending her to the ground. "Fuck off! Get out of here, I don't fucking want you around!" Koge caught herself before she fell, glaring down at the man as she stormed back over to him. "No, listen to me!" Squatting down in front of him, she cupped his cheeks firmly, keeping his teary glare locked with her own.

"I can help you. I can find him."

At this words, Bakugou's expression softened. "How?"

Koge stroked his cheeks gently. "I am half dragon, remember? Do you trust me?"

"... Yes."


	8. The False Truth

"You're sure this is the right way?"

"Yes, Katsuki. I can smell the other dragon. He smells… sick. It's awful." Koge held on tighter to the pommel of their horses saddle. Bakugou had spent his last cent he had made off the pelts to get them some supplies and a horse, knowing that the journey would be impossible on foot. They rode on at a steady gallop, Bakugou sitting with Koge in front of him between his legs. Koge had both his and her cape wrapped around her, leaning back against him to stay warm. Bakugou didn't mind, knowing they were going to be like this for hours. "He's probably abused by the humans that use him. That's why he listens to them, so he won't get hurt. He must be huge, though, to be able to take Red like that…"

Koge sighed, giving a small shake of her head. "It's hard to imagine a dragon bigger than Red… He's huge." Bakugou gave a small scoff. "He's still young… His kind actually gets the largest out of the tamable species, so I suspect this one that took him is just like him. A few hundred years older, though."

They both fell silent, the wind roaring around them and sound of hooves rattling their minds. It was nightfall by the time they decided to stop, finding a small clearing in the brush to sleep safely. There was no fire, no sense of comfort like there had been the night before. Just a cold ground with thin blankets, and a weight of worry that hung over them both. Laying beside Bakugou, wrapped in her cloak and blanket, Koge watched the leaves of the bushes that made up their shelter rustle in the wind. There was no moon that night, so it was pitch black, only her special eyesight allowing her to see their surroundings.

Her gaze was pulled to Bakugou as he rolled over onto his back, bringing one hand up to rub his eyes. Koge frowned, scooting just a tad closer to him. "Katsuki-"

"This isn't the first time."

"Huh?" Koge questioned the interruption. "Of what?"

"That I've let him get taken… The first time was when I was sixteen and-" Bakugou paused, moving his hand to rest in his chest. "When my Homeland was taken. I let him get captured so I could escape. I went back to save him, but… It was so shitty of me. He was about half the size he is now at that time, and had a difficult time fighting off humans." His hand slid across his chest to his opposite shoulder, covering his tattoo. "He forgave me, but… It took me a long time to gain back his trust. Now I've let it happen again…"

His voice was pained, as if he were trying with every inch of his being to hold back his emotions. Koge could see his his expression in the dark, able to see what he was trying to hide clearly. He must have forgotten or not realized she could see in the dark, as he did nothing to try and hide himself. Slowly, Koge reached over and placed her hand on his arm, giving it a light squeeze.

"Katsuki, this isn't your fault and I'm sure he knows that. There was no way he could have known…" Koge spoke with a soft voice, hoping he wouldn't push away her attempts to comfort him.

"He thinks that I abandoned him for you…"

Koge gave a small shake of her head. "No, I don't think he does… You can't possibly know that."

"For a dragon, he's extremely sensitive and self conscious. I know that is what he's thinking… Big stupid idiot." Bakugou took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Fuck… I need him to be alive."

Heart heavy, Koge ran her hand up and down his arm a bit, wishing she could do more. "We will get him back, Katsuki. But you need to try to sleep so you have the strength when you need it."

Silent, Bakugou turned his back to her, hiding himself within his blanket. Taking her hand back to herself, Koge did the same, listening to the sounds of night time nature around them. She wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but she woke to a warmth against her cheek, thinking that perhaps the sun was trickling in through the bushes. It was comforting, her entire body feeling like it was chilled to the core.

That is, until the warmth pressed back against her. At first, her mind was pulled into focus, fearing whatever it could possibly be that she was touching. Unused to sleeping with company, her foggy mind thought at first that she was still alone in her shelter at home, curled up on her warm bed made of leaves and stolen blankets. What pulled her back to the current reality was Bakugou's scent, so pleasant and alluring she couldn't help but to move herself in closer to it until her entire body was molded against the heat.

After a moment of soaking in the warmth, Koge opened her eyes, instantly met with the strong form of Bakugou's back. Her cheek was pressed against his skin, right between his shoulder blades, and one of her arms had ended up resting around his torso. Face flushing, Koge froze, not wanting to move and wake him. During the night, she had wiggled her way under his blanket and cape, her own discarded right against her back. How she had done this without either of them noticing was beyond her, but she assumed they were both so exhausted neither really cared.

"You're awake?"

Koge flinched, having not expected him to be awake. "A-ah, uhm-" She gave a small cough to clear her throat, as it was dry and sore from the cold. "Yes, I'm awake."

"Put your cloak and blanket over us. We need to warm up and get moving at sunrise."

With a small nod, Koge did as requested before resting her body back against him. "I'm sorry I woke up spooning you like this." Bakugou gave a soft scoff, stretching out his legs a bit. "I expected it. It got so cold last night there were some snow flurries. You can see it on the leaves." Curious, Koge stuck her head out of the blankets a bit, observing their surroundings. Sure enough, the green leaves were coated in a white film, as was the ground around the entrance to their shelter. "Tomorrow will probably be the first real snow… The heavy one."

"Mmph…"

Although he was quiet, Koge could tell that Bakugou was still tense. He wanted to go, right that second, but he knew they had to wait for the sunlight. In fact, Koge doubted that he had even slept at all that night, his nerves wrecking his mind.

"Did you… get some sleep?" Koge asked softly, taking the chance of putting her arm back around his torso. He didn't object.

"A little. You slept good though."

"How can you tell?"

"... You snore."

"What?!" Koge propped herself up on her elbow, glaring at him over his shoulder. "I do not." Bakugou didn't move, though he did peer at her from the corner of his eye. "You do. And you purr. Especially when you first got up against me." With an embarrassed huff, Koge flopped back to lay down, hiding beneath the blankets. "I only purr when I'm happy…"

"Then you must be happy."

Violent butterflies in in her stomach, Koge pressed her face into his back, taking in the chance to be close to him while she could. "I'm not- I mean, I just-"

"Shut up. I'm not mad." Giving another stretch of his body, Bakugou rolled over onto his back, forcing Koge to wiggle back a bit. After the crackling of stiff bones, he relaxed, a satisfied sigh leaving his lips. "If sleeping against me makes you happy, then whatever."

Koge timidly pressed her cheek against his shoulder, watching his face intently. "Yeah.. I've just spent so much of my life sleeping alone. I guess I… like the warm and pleasant company." Bakugou scoffed, reaching up to rub his face. "You think I'm pleasant? That's something I've never heard before." Sitting up, he stretched his arms up above his head, the loud crackling of bones catching Koge's attention. "I think you're very pleasant. I like being around you."

"Then you're kind of fucking crazy, I think."

"Thank you."

Bakugou glowered down at her over his shoulder, feeling a bit of heat rise up in his ears at the smile on her face. "Tch, you're not welcome. Get the fuck up, we need to move."

"Wait, can we talk about something first?"

With a sigh, Bakugou lied back down, glaring up at the leaves above him. "You still want to know?" Koge nodded, tenderly tracing his tattoo with her finger. "Yes… I think I deserve to know more."

"I need your help."

"To save Red?"

"Yes… but it's more than that. I captured you so I could use you to help me… I was going to tame you, but it's different now…" Bakugou swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to sound convincing. _Don't look at her. She'll be able to tell I'm lying._

Koge lied her cheek back against his shoulder, staring at his face intently. Bakugou could almost feel her gaze boring into him, making his stomach bubble with nerves. "I'm not stupid, you know," Koge started, speaking softly. "I think I've figured it out. Your tattoo, your pride, where you're from… You're the prince of the Dragon Tribe, aren't you? That's why I can talk to you. Only the royal bloodline from the south can speak to dragons so clearly…"

Bakugou's silence that followed only confirmed that she was correct. "You want to get your land back… On your own."

"My family won't help me. If we want that land back, our rightful territory, then I have to do something. They've turned it into a dragon breeding ground, to sell them for work or sport. I can't stand it. I know that I can take it back. The only way that fucker is able to control my people is through fear. I'm stronger than him now." Bakugou held up his hand, glaring at his palm in a way Koge had never seen before. It was so intense, with such hot and fiery passion that she could have sworn he was going to burst into flames.

"I'll help you."

Koge smiled at him softly as he turned a bewildered glare towards her. "I may not be the strongest out there, but I'll help you. I like you, Katsuki. I'll do whatever you need me to. With compensation, of course."

"Tch… what would you want?" Bakugou looked away from her, hating the feeling of his heart sinking into his stomach. _I don't need her help… I need money. Damn it!_

"Hmmm… I already know, but I'll wait until we've won first to get it." Koge's gaze moved to the claw shaped gauge in his ear, reaching up to touch it lightly. "I like your piercings."

"Whatever… You'll get what I feel like giving you as compensation."

Koge giggled, propping herself up on her elbow. "That's not how it works! I decide." Annoyed and morally frustrated, Bakugou rolled over, making his way out of their shelter into the open. "Fuck off."

"Then it's a deal! I'm going further into the bushes to pee, don't peek!"

Bakugou rolled his eyes as he came up to their horse, petting down the length of its nose as it nudged him curiously. "Don't peek… Tch, like I haven't seen her naked before. She's stupid…" He watched the horses ears flatten backwards, hot breath escaping its nostrils as it snorted. Fixing the horses mane a bit, he nodded, giving a sigh of his own. "I know you don't understand me, but… I don't know what to do. I'm fucked either way, I think…" He glanced back as Koge emerged from the bushes, carrying with her all their blankets and capes. The bright smile on her face only made his guilt grow, and he had to quickly pull his palm from the neck of the horse as he felt himself losing control of his power.

 _Blowing up the horse wouldn't be a good idea. I have to make a decision by the time we find Red, no matter if he's dead or alive. I can't let her deter me from this. But-_

Distracted by his thoughts, he was a bit startled as he felt the presence of his cape on his shoulders, quickly looking down at Koge as she appeared beside him. "Oh, sorry," she adjusted the cape on one shoulder a bit, covering more of his arm. "You just looked cold. Even though I know you're not. A-ah, never mind." Koge waved her hand dismissively in the air as she scurried away. Bakugou was only able to catch a glimpse of her red face as she went around to the other side of the horse, her small figure vanishing behind the creature.

 _What a fucking mess I've gotten myself into…_


	9. Heated

They traveled on horseback for two more days, led on by the horrific stench that plagued Koge's nose. She was so affected by it that she found herself needing to have her face shoved into the fluff of Bakugou's cape to lessen the impact it had on her body. She had grown nauseous and plagued by pounding headaches, making galloping on the horse nearly unbearable. Still, she suffered through it to not slow them down, for as long as she could. But, nearing the end of the third day of their trip, she had to stop.

"K-Katsuki, please stop, I have to get off!"

Hearing the urgency in her voice, Bakugou pulled on the reigns, making the horse abruptly come to a shaky halt. Immediately, Koge jumped off the horse, falling to her knees before vomiting what little contents were in her stomach. Frowning, Bakugou hopped off as well, grabbing their water canister before kneeling down beside her. "It's that bad?"

Taking the canister from him, Koge swished some water around her mouth and spit before taking a drink, the cool water soothing her throat. "Yes… Katsuki, I don't think it's one sick dragon. Whatever this smell is, it's bad. It's… it's like there's just tons of dead or diseased dragons." She moved to sit down on her rump, wiping her eyes and nose as she sniffed. "It's almost unbearable to be out in the open like this… And the wind from the incoming storm is making it so much worse."

Standing up straight, Bakugou turned to look at the incoming storm clouds, dark and rolling in at an unsettling speed. There was no thunder and no lightning, telling Bakugou that this was the first incoming snow storm of the season. Being so late in the evening, the wind felt like tiny needles in his skin and it was only growing stronger.

"We need to find a place to stay until the storm passes. I think there was a cave a little ways back. Get up, let's go."

Koge did as requested, keeping her hand over her nose. "We can't be far with how strong the stench is. But we can't go through that storm." She followed Bakugou back to the horse, who was shifting about anxiously. After helping Koge up onto the horse, Bakugou joined her, promptly turning the horse around and heading back the way they had come. Even though they travelled at a quick pace, the storm began to swallow them in darkness, the ice cold wind digging into their skin. Sleet began to rain down on them, making Koge cower further into Bakugou's chest.

By the time they reached the cave, they were soaked and frozen to the bone. Koge couldn't even find comfort from Bakugou's natural warmth, and for once, even he was shivering. The mouth of the cave was barely large enough for them to lead the horse inside, getting it in a decent ways before it could no longer fit. With trembling hands, Bakugou tied the reins to a large stone and removed the rest of the horses accessories, until it was bare. "Sorry. This is all we can do for you." Bakugou tossed one of their still slightly dry blankets over the back of the horse and spread it out, giving the animal a pat on the neck before picking up their supplies.

"Come on. It's still too cold here for us." He addressed the trembling Koge as he passed her, heading further into the cave. With chattering teeth, Koge followed him, hugging herself tightly. "O-okay. W-w-we can't light a f-fire, can we?"

Bakugou shook his head, touching the wet stone wall as he walked. "No. The rocks here are soft and wet. They will collapse." Koge gave a short scoff, though it was mixed with a quiet laugh. "Soft and wet. Like me." She sputtered in laughter at the annoyed glare Bakugou shot her over his shoulder, his intimidation level diminished by his wet and saggy hair. "Eh? What the fuck do you mean?"

Koge's eyes caught onto the scurrying of a bug away from them, but she didn't bother reacting to it. "I'm soft and wet. You don't think I'm soft?"

"Tch, I mean… I guess you are. Why would you even bring up something like that?"

"I was trying to be funny…"

"You're not very good at being funny."

Koge huffed, glaring at his back as she climbed up over some boulders. "You just don't understand how to laugh. You've only ever laughed once when we were in the bath house."

Ignoring her, Bakugou finally came to a stop, observing the spot he picked for them to rest. Koge was surprised that he could see, as the light was almost non existent this far into the cave. Her special eyesight made it easy for her, but the fact that he was acting like it wasn't pitch black left her baffled. In fact, as she thought about it, he hadn't ever had trouble seeing in the dark. Unable to help her curiosity, Koge took a few steps towards him, still trembling from the cold. "Katsuki… Can you see okay?"

Glancing at her, Bakugou shrugged off his soaking wet cape, laying it out over a rock to dry. "Yes?" His annoyed tone of voice told her to drop it, and so she did, taking off her wet cloak as well. She mimicked him in laying it out to dry, rubbing her arms vigorously. "Brr! Even this far into the cave, it's freezing! Can't we go in a bit further?" Bakugou shook his head, laying out their only dry blanket onto the rocks. "No. It's too narrow, and there will be more animals that far in." With a sigh, Koge flopped down to sit on the blanket, removing her boots. "You sure do know a lot about living in the wilderness. Even more than me, and I've been alive for over three hundred years!"

Bakugou began to remove articles of clothing as well, until he was down to being just in his pants. "Living as a dragon in the wilderness and living as a human are two different things." Hugging her knees to her chest, Koge rolled her eyes as he sat down beside her. "Duh, Katsuki. Mr. Obvious- hey, I'm wet enough already!" Koge leaned away from Bakugou as he shook his head, sending water spraying every which way.

"Then it doesn't matter, does it? You're still wet either way." Bakugou ruffled his hair once done, and Koge couldn't help but giggle at it's half spiky state. "So cute."

"Don't call me cute!" Bakugou barked at her, though quickly regretted raising his voice as it echoed through the cave. Koge covered her mouth as she laughed, giving him a sideways glance. "So sensitive. Come on, Katsuki, just admit it. You're cute."

Growling, Bakugou snatched his satchel, pulling it over and digging through it for food. "I'm not. You better shut up or I won't feed you."

"Don't treat me like a dog, Katsuki. I may just bite you."

After a small meal of stale bread, cheese and some berries they found that morning, the two sat in silence for a while. Lost in his own thoughts, Bakugou's attention was pulled back to Koge as she sneezed, a high pitched noise that could be mistaken for a mouse. "Geez, what was that?"

Sniffing, Koge wiped her nose with the back of her hand, still shivering from cold. "I sneezed."

"That didn't sound like a sneeze. Sounded like a squeak."

"No, it was a sneeze. Ugh, I hope I'm not getting sick from all this cold…" Koge pulled her knees back up to her chest, hiding her face in them. Bakugou watched her for a moment silently, contemplating what to do. He knew that her getting sick would hinder their rescue, but there was nothing he could do to warm her.

Well, there was something he could do, but he was worried about the reaction from her.

After glaring at the ground for a while, able to feel her shaking, he finally gave in.

"Come here."

Confused, Koge looked up at him. "Huh?" She released her legs as Bakugou sat up straight, nodding for her to come over. "Sit on my lap. Facing me."

"What? Are you sure?" Koge felt heat rush to her cheeks as she turned towards him. Though she was hesitant, she still felt the urge to leap on him, to soak in the warmth that she had grown used to sharing. While sleeping and on the horse, he didn't mind her resting against him, and she had come to crave the feel of his skin. The narrowing of his eyes told her she had better act quick, however, and her mind was immediately made up.

Quickly, she plopped herself down onto his lap, facing him and straddling his legs. She wrapped her arms around his torso, nuzzling her face into the curve of his neck. The instant he wrapped his arms around her, she began to purr softly, her tail swishing about behind her happily. "So warm… You know, for such a hardass, you have a good heart…"

Bakugou held her body close, finding that he very much enjoyed holding her like this. "I'm not going to let you freeze to death. You idiot. That's the only reason I'm doing this, since you getting sick would ruin our rescue." He could feel her smile against his skin, hating how she could always see right through him. "Sure, Katsuki," Koge began, her tail wrapping around their hips. "If that's what you want me to believe."

"Shut up." Bakugou pressed his palms against her back, deciding to go along with his plan to help her. "Don't freak out."

"Huh? Why would I- woah!" Koge flinched away from his hands as his palms suddenly became hot against her body, squishing herself closer to him. "Your hands are hot! How are you doing that!?" Curious, she looked over her shoulder at his hands, able to see a yellow glow from his palms. Bakugou growled in annoyance, slowly sliding one of his hands up her back. "I said don't freak out."

After the initial shock, Koge found herself melting into him, sighing softly as her purring resumed. She hid her face back into his shoulder, feeling the warmth spreading across her skin. "I knew there was something special about you… Whatever this is."

Bakugou kept his gaze on his hands, running one of them up to caress the back of her neck. "You're not going to ask questions?"

"Whatever it is, you'll tell me when you're ready." The warmth made her shiver a bit, a familiar tingling sensation running through her body. Even though he didn't say a word or do anything but run his hands along her back, a nearly unbearable sensation of arousal began to peak within her. Being pressed against him like this, his scent filling her senses and his breath against her neck was already driving her wild. As his hand came back up to her neck, he caressed it with a bit more pressure than before, the sensation of pleasure making her gasp softly and wiggle a bit.

"Ah… Did that hurt?" Bakugou's voice was soft and low in her ear, making her stomach swim with butterflies. Koge gave a small shake of her head, clutching onto him a bit tighter as she tried to keep her urges subdued. "No, it feels good…" With this, his touch grew rougher, massaging her as his hands moved.

Bakugou wasn't sure what he was doing, but he couldn't control himself, either. Koge was so soft against him, his crimson gaze locked on the way her shoulders moved with each increasingly heavy breath. Each time he pressed his fingers into a sensitive or sore spot on her back, she would gasp and tense into him. He knew this was bad, a horrible decision that would only complicate things further. But did that really matter? It was just sex, wasn't it? She was just a stranger, a pawn in his game of chess.

Right?

A sharp hiss escaped his lips as her nails dug into the bare skin of his back, spurred on by his hands traveling just a bit further down than they had been.

"Katsuki-" Koge spoke in a breathless whisper, lifting her body up from his a bit.

"What…?"

"I… I want you. Now."


	10. Split

Koge woke to the sound of shuffling and feeling of movement, blinking a few times to adjust her eyes to the darkness. Bakugou was up, working on putting on all of his clothing items in silence. Laying still and quiet, she watched him for a bit, the concerned furrow of his brow worrying her. She could tell that there was a heavy sense of regret weighing on him, with what they had done last night being nothing but a mistake. It had been like that all night, with Koge only able to get a few words out of him and barely even a glance in her direction. He didn't seem to care about her holding him or resting against him during the night, but he was tense and uncomfortable.

Maybe giving into their urges had been a mistake.

With a sigh, Koge sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Morning already?"

Bakugou stood, shrugging on his cape once he was otherwise fully dressed, only give a small grunt in response. Narrowing her eyes at him, Koge snatched her shoes, having already dressed back in her pants and bodysuit before they went to sleep. "We're doing this again, huh? Just like after the bath house… I really don't understand it, Katsuki."

"You don't need to."

"No, I really think I do." Koge stood once she had her shoes on, picking up the blanket off the ground and shaking it out a bit. "You don't have to shut me out. I'm not… some whore that you picked up off the street. I know that you care about me more than that, it's so obvious, and yet you've got this wall of shit that you just won't let down-"

"Shut up!"

The intensity at which Bakugou barked at Koge made her jump, his voice booming through the inclosed cave. They stared at each other in silence for a long time, until Bakugou finally decided to speak. "Just… shut up. Let me deal with my shit my own way. I don't need you digging around in my head or trying to solve my problems for me!" Snatching up the bag that held their supplies, Bakugou began to storm his way back towards the entrance of the cave, leaving Koge alone in the suffocating darkness. Her eyes welling up with hurt and frustrated tears, she folded up the blanket before picking up her cloak, pulling it on. But the time she finished tying the string in the front, she could not longer hold back her sadness, sitting down onto a boulder to sob quietly into the blanket.

What am I thinking? He just wants to use me… Last night was nothing to him.

After getting out the initial wave of sadness, Koge stood and began her trek back towards the cave entrance, going slow and at her own pace to try and rid herself of emotion before she got back. This wasn't her first heartbreak in her many years, but it sure did feel the most painful. Why did the first human she could ever speak to have to have such an awful attitude? Or was it her fault? Was she pushing his buttons in a way that she shouldn't? Maybe she wanted him too badly and it was scaring him away.

Perhaps I should… back off. Give him his space, and his time… No matter how badly I want to be close to him, it's obvious that I won't be able to. Maybe after we save Red… Maybe then he'll recognize me as more…

When she reached the entrance of the cave, Bakugou already had the horse set to go, feeding it an apple from their food resources. He stroked down the length of its neck as it ate, his expression still stern and filled with confliction. Koge didn't say anything as she approached, carefully shoving the blanket into a pouch on the horses' saddle. Neither of them shared a glance or a word as Bakugou led the horse out of the cave and into the white wilderness outside. Over night, the storm had covered the land in a thick layer of snow, just high enough to where the horse could still walk through it without issues.

Typically, Koge loved snow, but she found little joy in it now. The dragon stench from somewhere in the distance was already making her dizzy, and she knew they couldn't be more than a days ride from its source. Silently refusing Bakugou's attempt to help her onto the horse, she used her own strength to climb up, scooting up as far as she could on the saddle to give him room. The annoyed click of his tongue fell on deaf ears as he swung himself up as well, giving the horse a nudge on the side to start moving.

After a long while of a slow meandering stride, Bakugou finally looked down at Koge, though all he could see was the back of her hood. Over her shoulder, he could see her hands gripping the pommel of the saddle, fiddling with a loose thread that held the leather together. Giving a heavy sigh, he spurred the horse to go faster, and Koge was forced to lean back against him for support.

"Are you going to pout the whole time?"

"I'm going to pout until you apologize… I'm not your whore, Katsuki. You can't just fuck me and treat me like a pile of shit. You want me to help you… You should treat me better…"

Bakugou knew that she was right, but he couldn't find it within himself to apologize. Not because of his pride, but because then he would have to admit to himself that there were stronger feelings hidden beneath his wall of shit.

And that wall was beginning to crack.

…

Koge gave a large groan as she stretched, having hopped off the horse to take a quick break, both of them needing to stretch their limbs and relieve their bladders. Bakugou cursed as he had to trudge through the snow to get behind a tree, where Koge decided to just squat next to some bushes.

"Why are you going behind a tree? It's not like I haven't seen your dick already." Koge chastised him, balancing herself with her tail. Bakugou scoffed, glaring at the bark of the tree in front of him. "I can piss where I want, you don't control me."

"You're stupid."

Bakugou felt that familiar twinge of anger, something that had been happening to him the entire ride. Damn it, she's pissing me off! She hasn't stopped talking back to me since we left the cave! All because I won't apologize.

"Fuck you."

"You did that already. Asshole."

Growling, Bakugou finished his business and stormed out from behind the tree, glaring at her back as she stood by the horse, drinking some water. What could he do? He couldn't fight her, and snapping at her with words didn't seem to work. He couldn't leave her nor could he put her in time out like she was a child.

So what could he do?

Snowball.

Bakugou scooped up the fluffy snow into his hands, molding it into a near perfect ball before throwing it at her. It hit her in the back so hard that she squeaked, nearly dropping the water canister as she coughed. Popping the cork back in, Koge turned a glare towards him, but was hit in the face by another snowball before she could say a word.

"I'm fucking sick of you talking back to me! Why don't you treat me with some respect, huh?!" Bakugou dodged a ball of snow as one flew at him, tossed by an angry red faced halfling. "Me show YOU respect?! How have you deserved it?!" Koge scooped up two more handfuls, flinging them at him with no success. "Respect requires you to show respect back! Here you are, begging for my help, to save Red and whatever else! I'm not your little plaything!"

Bakugou was unable to dodge a third snowball hurled at him, though it did little but hit him in the chest. They began to circle each other, like some type of ridiculous ritual, each armed with the fluffy snow. "You sure are acting like one. Begging for me to fuck you like some animal that's in heat! I never begged for your help! You offered it!"

"Well I take it back! You can take your stubborn attitude and shove it up your ass where it belongs!" Instead of throwing what was in her hands, she kicked a large chunk of snow at him, forcing him to block it with his arms. "I won't help you! If this is how you're going to treat me, then do it yourself!" She squealed as another snowball hit her in the face, this one much larger and thrown harder. Bakugou pointed an accusing finger at her, the snarl and glare on his face fierce enough to kill just by looking at him. "You wouldn't! You owe me."

"How do I owe you? What, for buying me clothes like a decent person would?" Koge's tail was flicking about angrily behind her, using her cloak to wipe the stinging snow from her face. "If anything, it's you that owes me! I've gotten us this far to find Red. Without me, you'd be lost! Why can't you just admit that I'm right, Katsuki?" Koge's voice hitched as she resisted the urge to cry, swallowing the tears. Bakugou gave annoyed click of his tongue as he turned away, tired of this nonsense as he headed towards the horse. "Fuck off, then! I don't give a shit- HEY!"

Suddenly, he was tackled down into the snow, the sudden weight against his back catching him off balance. Being much stronger than the small woman that attacked him, he quickly turned the tides, pinning her down beneath him, even as she struggled. "What the fuck-"

"I don't want to fuck off!" Koge snapped at him, the hot tears streaming down her cheeks sticking the snow to her flushed skin. "I don't want to leave! I want to help you, but you've crushed me." Even as she cried, she glared up at him, the intensity of her emotion shocking Bakugou enough to loosen his grip a bit. Koge sniffed, struggling to speak as she sobbed. "I just… want you to treat me better. I deserve that, don't I?"

"Yes."

The truth slipped from Bakugou's lips before he could even think, releasing her arms to instead cup her chilled cheeks. "Yes… You deserve it. That's why you should leave. Because I… I can't treat you better."

Koge felt her heart drop, her stomach swirling with nervous butterflies. "W-what? Katsuki, I don't want to leave you, I just-"

"I know what you want." Bakugou spoke firmly, keeping his hold on her cheeks. "But I can't give it to you. You should go home." Careful not to hurt her, Bakugou stood, making his way towards the horse. Koge laid there in shock for a moment, staring up at the grey sky as her chest began to heave with panic. As the satchel that held their food and water was suddenly tossed beside her, she sat up, staring up at Bakugou as he climbed up onto the horse. "K-Katsuki, wait-"

"I don't need you anymore." Bakugou spoke sharply, his glare locked on the horizon. "I can smell them from here. I can save Red on my own. I want you to go home."

Without another glance Bakugou spurred the horse on to a gallop, leaving Koge frozen in her spot. She watched him until he vanished over the hill, leaving her with nothing but the satchel and the clothing she wore. Pulling her cloak around her tightly, Koge hid her face into her knees, her soft sobbing swallowed by the howling wind.


	11. Stubborn

The steam that escaped Koge's nostrils with each breath fogged her keen vision, though it wasn't as if she really needed to see where she was going, nor was she paying much attention. Alone in the snow, she had worked herself up into such a panic from being abandoned that she was able to change back into her dragon form, knowing that she couldn't survive on her own as a human. Around her neck hung the satchel she had been left with, now packed with her clothing and shoes she had been able to remove before her body changed and ripped them to shreds. She may need them again, after all, if she ever finds the need to change back again.

Though, the thought of ever changing back into a human was a dreadful one. Now that she had been so close to someone she could actually understand, interactions with other humans felt like it would be a pointless experience. Nothing could ever compare to what she felt with Bakugou, no matter the situation. She felt ruined, desolated and abandoned by someone she thought was building a true connection with her, for once in her long and lonely existence.

In truth, she wanted to hate him. She wanted to hate him with every inch of her being, to forget him and treat his memory as if it were nothing but a horrible experience and lock it away. But she couldn't. Those positive moments that she had spent with him were the most fun she ever had. Sure, he was an ass, she could fully admit that, but there was more to him that she could easily see. Behind the sadness and the anger, she knew there was a softness, a kind heart that was being suffocated by rage. There had been a part of her that hoped that maybe she could be the one to help him, to pull him out of this pit and back into the light. But, she had been wrong.

Now, she was alone again.

Becoming a bit overwhelmed with a new wave of sadness, Koge laid down in the snow, whining as she lied her head on the satchel. It still smelled like him, and it was her only comfort.

 _How long am I going to cry over him, I wonder._ Koge thought to herself, though no tears ran down her white, scaled cheeks. _He's been gone for hours, now… I know he's not coming back for me. I really should just go home…_

Stretching her wings out a bit, Koge let out a heavy sigh before standing back up. Unlike most of her kind, she walked on her hind legs only, her front only used for attacking or picking up whatever she may be needing at the time. Although she had wings, she was built for running, slender and agile. Yes, she could fly, but it wore her out tremendously. She would much prefer to stay on the ground, even if it did make her more vulnerable. Her claws and skin melting breath defended her well, however, and she never felt like she was in danger on the ground. That's what got her into this mess in the first place, was that she felt indestructible. Her foolishness had gotten her caught, and now she was more heartbroken than she had ever been before. Though, heartbroken was better than dead or sold as a slave, or so she assumed.

Standing, she gave a shake of her head that traveled all the way down her body to the tip of her tail, shaking the snow from her. All that was left now was for her to return home to her forest, snuggle up in her bed and sleep for days on end to try and rid herself of this awful memory. At full speed, she guesstimated she could make it there in two days, as she could run twice as fast as a horse. As that thought crossed her mind, she grew curious.

 _I wonder why Katsuki never asked me to try to change so he could use me as a ride instead of the horse. Did he not want me to change…? I could have gotten us there so much faster. Maybe then this wouldn't have happened… But then, our moment in the cave wouldn't have happened either…_

Koge growled out loud to herself, starting to sprint forward. _Stop thinking about it! Screw him!_

Before she knew it, she had gotten herself so angry that she was running at full speed, zipping through the snow and dodging any obstacles that crossed her path. Running always made her feel better, a way to keep her focus and waste built up energy. It felt good to finally be in this form again, finally beginning to feel familiar with her body.

Though, just as she began to get into the groove, a scent hit her nose that made her skid to a stop. That reeking, vile scent of a wounded and abused dragon, exactly what they had been following this entire time. But, it wasn't coming from behind her. Instead, it was approaching her from the front, and at an alarmingly quick pace.

Before Koge could really think of what to do, the huge from of a dragon appeared over the hill, flying low in the air at a quick speed. Unable to hide, Koge ducked down into the snow as far as she could, hoping her white color would camouflage her enough to stay unnoticed. Thankfully, it seemed to work, as the dragon passed over her with no indication that he noticed her.

Koge had never seen a dragon so large. It was at least twice the size of Red, if not bigger, and was dressed in armor and leather. On its back was what appeared to be a small building or platform, and Koge could smell the presence of humans behind the sickening scent of the dragon. She could tell that his wings had been broken many times, the end of his tail had been removed and so had his horns. What little bit of his skin Koge could see was scarred, and she knew there must have been open wounds beneath the armor.

 _Poor guy… He must listen to these humans so they won't hurt him, just like Katsuki said. Wait… if that's the dragon that took Red, they will never be able to fight it off. And there are so many humans! He can't do this on his own!_

Once she was sure she was out of the dragons sight, she stood, watching as it continued in the direction Bakugou had gone. Panic and worry began to bubble within her, pacing back and forth as she kept her gaze locked on her abused kin. What should she do? What could she do? She could never take down something like that, nor could she think of a way to save Red without being noticed, if he was even still alive.

 _I… I can't let him do this alone! He'll never make it._

Just before the dragon left her sight, she took off after it, keeping herself low to the ground and just far away to hopefully not be noticed. _I have to help him, no matter what he says. I can't let him die!_

…

By the time Koge reached her destination, it was dark. But, that didn't seem to matter, as the fortress she had come upon had so many flickering lanterns that it nearly seemed daylight. The compound was massive, a main tower surrounded by a tall stone wall. The entrance was a metal gate, guarded by two men. More guards were stationed all around the top of the wall, some standing watch while others walked around on patrol. Though, what caught Koge's attention the most was the huge sets of cages behind the tower.

Dragons ranging from her size to larger were in these cages, some strapped down to the ground while others were merely tethered with a chain. The smell of dragon filth and death was nearly overwhelming her, making her shake her head to try and rid herself of the stench. Cautiously, she crept along the edge of the forest to get a better look at the trapped dragons. Nearly all of them were missing their horns and their claws, something she assumed was being sold by the humans that held them here. Some she could tell had been there for many years, as they swayed or paced back and forth with insanity brought on from captivity.

Right at the very back of the compound, Koge found the source of the stench. Inside of a huge ditch, dead dragons were left to rot in a mass grave, the most recent bodies frozen with the winter storm. It took every inch of her self control not to cry out, backing away as she whined. _How could humans do this? Katsuki isn't going to be able to resist helping all of them… He will probably want to kill every human in that place._

Regaining control of herself, Koge looked back at the caged dragons, looking for the unmistakable red scales of Bakugou's friend. It didn't take her long, as he was set up in a back cage, completely strapped down to the ground with multiple chain and leather straps, his jaw even strapped shut. Just like the others, his horns and nails were crudely shaved off and his wounds from capture had been left untreated. His orange eyes were closed, resting soundly as if he weren't trapped in a cage by poachers. How peaceful he seemed told Koge that Bakugou had not yet approached him, or even came close to the compound, as she was sure Red would smell him instantly.

Suddenly, Koge was startled by the large dragon rising up over the other side of the cages, the massive size of his body catching her off guard. She couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed him, but she assumed that he was guarding the fortress, the primary defense against anyone who dared to come close. Just the sight of him was intimidating, the smoke rising from his nostrils indicating that he was a fire breather. As he turned his head, the ground shaking with each pacing step he took, Koge noted that he was blind in his left eye. Might be good to remember that later…

 _Now how the hell do I find Katsuki?_

Koge couldn't locate his scent behind the suffocating stench of death, nor could she find any trace of him along her side of the forest. Was he waiting until it was darker to make his move? Or was there something he knew that she didn't? She couldn't do anything until she found him, or at least knew what he was up to. That stupid idiot probably already got himself caught, rushing in full of rage at the sight of his abused friend. That's one thing that Koge couldn't quite get over about Bakugou, how emotionally passionate he was. She liked that about him, even if he rarely showed any positive emotion to such an extreme as the negative ones.

 ** _Snap._**

A twig snapping behind her instantly made her react, spinning around and ready to attack at the first sign of danger. Instead, she was met with a dark crimson glare, one that was so sharp she thought it cut right through her.

"Koge?"

Bakugou's voice was low, his sword at the ready. Relaxing her tense posture, Koge hummed softly, lowering her head a bit further to the ground. She couldn't talk to him, but she knew he could understand her sounds and posture. The fact that he still didn't relax when she did made her a bit nervous, but she still took a step forward.

"I told you to go home. What the fuck are you doing here?"

Frustrated, Koge let out a low growl, only taking a quick glance back at the captured dragons. Bakugou shook his head, his glare not faltering. "No. I told you to go home. You'll be captured by them. You see that big fuck over there? All he has to do is slap you and you're done. Yeah, I get that you're fast, but that doesn't matter." He waved a hand dismissively at Koge as she lifted up one of her feet, though his snappy comment only made her place it back down into the snow. Giving a series of annoyed clicks, Koge took a few steps closer, only to be stopped as Bakugou pointed his sword at her neck.

"Don't come near me. I'm not letting you help me, and if that means I have to beat you unconscious and tie you up, then I will!"

Before Bakugou could even blink, Koge had slapped his sword from his hand and tackled him to the ground, one foot on his chest. Her leg was strong enough to hold him down, even as he struggled to push her off. "Fuck, let me up, you stupid halfling! I can't deal with you right now!"

With a drawn out intake of breath, Koge hissed at him, leaning forward towards his face with a snarl. _You're such an idiot! You can't do this by yourself!_ Her sickle claw tapped on the skin of his chest, pricking him and drawing a small drop of blood. Bakugou didn't even flinch at her aggressive display, snatching onto her ankle tightly.

"I'm not going to let you get killed in there. I can do this on my own. Now get the fuck off of me."

Straddling him, Koge decided that he needed even more persuasion to accept her help. As if she were a chicken sitting on her eggs, she plopped down onto him, giving a series of clicks in amusement at his struggles. "O-ow! You're a fat lard, get off me! You're not going to get your way!"

Purring contently, Koge kept him trapped, her gaze locked on him intently.

 _I'm not moving, Katsuki. Not until you agree to let me help you. Now give up._

Koge wasn't sure how long they sat like this, Bakugou glaring up at her and continuing on with his threats. Finally, after rubbing his face in defeat, Bakugou let his arms flop out to lay on either side of him. "You don't get it, Koge. I'm not doing this because I'm being stubborn. I seriously don't want you anywhere near this place."

Purring softly in understanding, Koge nuzzled his cheek with her nose, but she still refused to get up. It didn't matter. She wanted to help.

"You're just as stubborn as me, I think. I can't believe you came after me… You're stupid. But fine… I'll tell you my plan."


	12. Execution

"Here's the deal," Bakugou began, holding up his hands with his palms facing her. "I have a power that I was going to use as a distraction… I can make explosions from my hands. I was going to do that pretty far way to make that big fuck and most of the humans go over to it, ride the horse back, and get Red out of the cage before they all return. That's… all I got."

Koge pressed her nose into his palm, sniffing it curiously. With a tender touch, he stroked down the length of her snout, heating up his palms as he had done the night before. Purring softly, Koge thought over his plan, though something just wasn't going to work. A horse just wasn't going to be fast enough to get back to the camp and still have enough time to get Red out of that cage with all those chains. And how was he even going to get all of that out of the way to escape? He had only a sword, and explosions wouldn't do the job because then he would just call attention to himself.

With a snort, Koge gave her head a small shake, disagreeing with his plan. Narrowing his eyes at her, Bakugou gripped the small horn she had at the top of her nose. "No? You don't think it will work? Why? Oh wait, you can't explain that to me because you're in your fucking dragon form. Why don't you change?!"

Hissing at him, Koge shook his hand off of her head, standing up off of him. As she allowed him up, she found a boulder that was resting up against a tree, deciding that it would be a good victim to her demonstration. After making sure she had his attention, she opened her mouth, displaying the sharp teeth and pale purple coloring of her gums. With the sound of a hiss, a sickening yellow-green smoke came from her throat, sprayed towards the boulder before dissipating into the air. Like it was metal cast into a fire, the boulder began to melt, turning into a thick liquid.

When she was done with her display, she looked back at man besides her, clicking in amusement at the surprise on his face. Bakugou crossed his arms over his chest as his brow furrowed in thought, eyes on the boulder. "You can do that to metal? To anything?"

Koge nodded, chirping softly in excitement at his understanding. Instead of walking, she hopped closer to him, stomping her feet into the ground.

"And you're faster than a horse…"

 _You got it, Katsuki!_

"Fine." Bakugou snapped after a moment of silence, taking her snout into his hands again. "But you do everything I say. If I tell you to change, you change. If I tell you to run, you run. You leave me behind if I say so. I am not going to tolerate your stubborn bullshit. Understand me?" With a soft whine, Koge reluctantly agreed, pressing her nose into his cheek again. His hand running down her neck was comforting, but he was quick to leave her, picking up his sword and placing it back on his hip.

"You're barely big enough for me to ride on the ground…" Bakugou spoke softly, though he was more thinking out loud to himself rather than to her directly. "No saddle… Oh well." The thought of having to include her in this was making him sick to his stomach, but he knew that she had been right. He couldn't do this on his own, not with the way that Red was tied down. He needed her power, her speed and her corrosive breath.

Walking up to her, Bakugou ran his hand down the length of her snout, making her purr and nuzzle into him. "Are you ready?"

After a nod from her, he was up on her back, directing her through the woods to execute their plan.

…

The sound of Bakugou's explosion rattled Koge's mind, making her whine and lower her head, shaking it to try and relieve herself of the ringing in her ears. _Holy crap, that's an intense magic! And from a human! He didn't ever tell me about this-_

She was pulled from her thoughts by the feeling of his heels in her ribs, spurring her on to start running back to the camp. Although her mind was dizzy from the noise, she did as commanded, sprinting through the forest. She could already hear the loud stomping of her huge kin, his attention pulled to the explosion just as planned. So far, everything was going good, except for the hiss of pain that Bakugou let slip through his lips. "Fuck…"

Though Koge couldn't see him, his voice told her that something was wrong, and she whined in worry. Bakugou shook his head, doing his best to focus on holding onto her, even though the pain shooting up his left arm was agonizing. He hadn't made an explosion that large in quite a while, his body reacting badly to the magic. "Shut up and keep running. Don't worry about me." _Damn it, I hope this goes away by the time we get to the camp… I can't even close my hand!_

Both of them took a quick glance up as a shadow fell upon them, the large dragon gliding in the air towards the still smouldering trees, set ablaze by Bakugou's trick. "We'll only have about ten minutes…" Bakugou spoke quietly, not wanting to bring attention to them. "When we get into the camp, all the dragons will start to fuss and that will make it worse. We can't hesitate."

Koge gave a soft hum in understanding, stopping at the edge of the forest when they reached it. Many of the dragons in the compound were already upset, pacing and screeching in distress at the explosion. Red was awake, looking in the direction of the explosion intently, obviously recognizing it.

"Call to him." Bakugou spoke to Koge, flexing his hand as he tried to subdue the pain. "I don't want him to be shocked when we show up." With a bob of her head, Koge let out a short, sharp series of clicks, to which Red's attention was instantly drawn. He tried to stand, but was held fast by the chains and leather straps, responding to her with a similar sound.

"Okay, go!"

Koge took off at Bakugou's command, sprinting at full speed. In a graceful display of strength and agility, Koge leaped over the metal bars of the gate that surrounded the dragons cages, landing with only a soft thud beside Red. Bakugou hopped off of Koge instantly, easily slipping through the gaps of the bars and moving to his friend, who was whining and trying to pull himself from his bonds.

"Shh! It's alright, I'm not leaving without you. Calm down." Bakugou hissed in a low whisper, stroking the large dragons cheek to calm him. First, he began work to remove the strap that held Red's mouth closed, knowing they may need his fire. Looking back at Koge, he pointed to the large lock on the front door of the gate. "Melt that." Koge did as instructed, ignoring the cries and whining of the other dragons. Not being able to save them as well broke her heart, but she knew they just didn't have time for it.

When the metal lock fell to the ground, Koge pulled open the door, struggling against the snow to get it as far open as she could so Red could escape. While she focused on that, Bakugou unsnapped the hooks of the leather straps, observing his friends wounds as he did. Gashes along his sides where he was grabbed, bite marks on his neck, and his wings had been broken. "Fucking poachers…" Bakugou cursed to himself, though Koge could hear him as she came around to melt the metal chains.

Between the two of them, the removal of the bonds went by in a flash, and Red took off running the instant he was free. After allowing Bakugou onto her back, Koge followed quickly after, mimicking her kin as he leapt up over the fence. Nearly immediately, they could hear yelling of the humans that were still back at the camp, though the two dragons were quick enough to vanish out of their sight before they could be followed. At first, it seemed to Koge that they may escape without a hitch.

That is, until a loud roar shook the ground, nearly making Koge topple over. Flying towards them was the large enemy dragon, spurred on by the humans on his back. Bakugou cursed, pulling his sword from his hip. "Damn it! Koge, get me on Red, now!" Her entire body coursing with adrenaline, Koge sped up, running along side Red's tail as it moved up and down with his long running strides. Timing it, Bakugou jumped from Koge's shoulders, snatching onto the large scales of his friend and expertly climbing up onto his back.

No longer having to worry about a human falling off of her, Koge turned her head to look at their pursuers, her fear spiking at the rapid rate at which the large dragon was approaching. What could she do? Red couldn't fight, he was barely able to run and it wasn't possible for him to fly. Bakugou had that magic, but that wasn't enough to stop such a large dragon. Koge was sure that the humans also had weapons. So what could she do? What should she do?

"Koge!"

Her attention was pulled to Bakugou as he yelled at her, now at his place on Red's head.

"Leave! Run away into the forest, they can't catch you there!"

Koge cried out in disapproval, though her backlash was instantly silenced by his words.

"You promised me you wouldn't hesitate to leave me! I said do it! Now!" He ducked down to dodge flying arrows, which bounced off of Red's thick scales. Hiding behind Red's large horns, Bakugou kept his glare locked with the halfling below, who continued to cry out and stare back up at him with agonized worry. He couldn't let her get captured, and if he was going to die here, there was no reason for her to join him. Swallowing his pride, he said one more word to her, his voice cracking as he let his emotions break through.

"Please!"

Koge felt as if her heart was being ripped straight from her chest, the intensity of his emotions nearly crippling her. _No… No, I'm not going to!_ Skidding to a stop, Koge turned back to face the larger dragon, who let out a horrifying roar in a challenge to her. Hissing, Koge launched herself from the ground, speeding towards the dragon as she dodged arrows and spears.

 _His right eye… I need to blind him!_ With focused agility, Koge was able to make her way around to the side of his head, latching herself to his metal armor. Without thinking of the consequences, Koge quickly used her corrosive breath on the dragons only healthy eye, immediately making him screech and shake his head. With all her strength, Koge kept her grip and continued her power, until the dragon was thrashing in the air. Once satisfied with her work, she released her hold, backing away from the flailing dragon.

Just as she was about to flee, she was hit by an incredible force. The last thing she saw was Red still running in the distance before her entire world went back.


	13. Heal

_She didn't listen to me. What a stupid fucking woman!_ Bakugou sat beside his large friend, elbows on his knees and head hidden in his arms. Hidden in an underground cave the two had found, Bakugou was completely distraught, his mind racked with guilt and worry of the unknown. Three days ago, the last he had seen of Koge was her being slapped out of the sky by the enemy dragon. Whatever she had done to him, he had collapsed onto the ground as well, shaking the earth and crushing trees. He hadn't died, Bakugou knew that much, as when he had gone back just yesterday, there was nothing but a crater in the ground.

There was no sign of Koge, either. Any blood that may have been left would have been covered by snow, and there was no sign of her body anywhere. There was just… nothing. Nothing left of her but his racing dark thoughts and guilt. Whatever happened to her, it was his fault. If he had just kept his distance, kept his feelings out of it, he would have sold her and been done with it. He hated this. He hated these feelings, of longing and sadness. Never before had he felt this for a person and it was just eating away at him from the inside.

Bakugou truly felt useless. He couldn't even protect Red, let alone a halfling. How was he going to get his homeland back if he couldn't even do something so damn simple? At this point, it seemed like his dreams were inching further and further away, starting to become unreachable. Red's injuries would take at least a month to heal completely, if not longer for his wings. His wounds were severe for a dragon of his size, and since they had found this cave, he had been sleeping non stop. He had devoured the horse Bakugou had been using on sight, not even giving Bakugou a chance to think about if the horse was necessary to keep or not. After it was done, he had decided that it was for the best, as his friend must have been starving.

Even with the large dragon beside him, Bakugou had settled into this pit of loneliness. Having that woman by his side was like having a constant light, leading the way through the darkness that was his mind. Now, as he had been before he met her, he was left alone with his thoughts, his fears and the insecurities he tried to hide from the world.

With a frustrated sigh, Bakugou stood, beginning to pace. He knew that he couldn't let this be such a huge setback. Reds injuries, sure, but such pitiful feelings over a creature he barely knew? No. He needed to move on, to find a way to keep going.

His stomach churning in hunger, Bakugou picked up the bow and quiver he had bought from town, resting it over his shoulder. Carefully, he placed a comforting hand on Reds cheek, waking the dragon. "I'm going out to hunt. Do not move." With a soft whine, Red closed his eyes again, not moving or disagreeing with the commands. After another soft pat, Bakugou left, making his way out of the cave and into the white world outside. Apparently, it was midday, something he hadn't even noticed due to the blizzard that had been raging. For now, it had let up, and he could see the silver outline of the sun behind the snow clouds. The wind was still decently strong, but there was no falling snow.

With a sigh, he began to make his way towards the edge of the forest, to search for some sign of life or food he could eat. He assumed there was something around this area to sustain him, as the forest was thick and warm, protected from the howling wind and snow by the thick brush. Though, suddenly, a movement caught his eye, attention pulled towards it in an instant. Something black, shifting about against the snow with the movement of the wind. At first, Bakugou couldn't tell what it was, the snow distorting his vision.

Moving closer as quietly as he could, the snow still crunching loudly under his boots, the mystery object was still unknown to him even as he stopped right beside it. Once he kneeled down however, he could clearly see that it was a fabric. A very familiar fabric.

In an instant, he lifted the black cloth, an audible gasp leaving his lips at the sickly pale nude body beneath it.

"Koge!"

He immediately recognized the tail and horns, though her entire body was limp with no signs of life or movement. Leaving the bow in the snow, Bakugou scooped up the body, glad to see that she wasn't frozen solid or stiff. Not even taking a moment to observe her further, he made his way quickly back to the cave, nearly falling on his way. "Red! Wake up!"

With a confused snort, the dragon awoke, looking at his friend with tired irritation. The instant Bakugou approached with the body, however, he lifted his head in full attention. Bakugou placed Koge beside the dragon, carefully removing the black cloak and satchel from her body. Beside that, she was completely bare, displaying the large and deep gash she had along her stomach. It curved around the right side of her body, deep enough to kill any normal human. Somehow, she had survived the injury, though it was apparent to Bakugou that she had lost a lot of blood. Along with observing the injury, he could see her chest still moving and feel her heartbeat, though it was weak.

Pulling off his cape, Bakugou laid it over her, tucking it under her body as he looked up at Red. "You need to warm her with your breath. Slowly. Don't do it too fast or her body will go into shock. Put your arm up against her, too." Doing as told, Red shifted his body closer, pressing his front leg up against Koge's body. Laying his head back down, he opened his mouth, allowing the flames to rise up against the back of his throat and create a gentle wave of heat to fill the cave. Sitting back down beside her, Bakugou looked at the satchel, in awe that she had still kept it.

What was worse was the thought that she had been alive, injured and roaming through the forest like this for days. He had been sitting here, wallowing in some miserable excuse for grief while she struggled, probably to find him or at least find real shelter. He should have, could have tried harder to find her. Now, she was very near death, and the chance of being able to save her was slim.

Pulling the satchel towards him, Bakugou began to dig through it, looking for anything he could use to help her. Her clothing and boots were inside, along with one remaining piece of bread and cheese. His flask was still inside as well, along with a few random objects like a needle and thread, cloth bandages, a small knife, some jewels he had found, herbs, and some dragons scales. Some of these things could be useful, and to keep himself occupied while Red worked on warming Koge's body, he took out all the items to sort them and see what he could use.

The herbs, needle, thread, bandages and alcohol could probably be used to close up and treat her wound, once he could look at it more. The cheese he ate, leaving the bread for Koge when she awoke, as it would be best for her stomach. The jewels and scales were useless at the time, as were her clothing, though he did plan on redressing her as soon as he could.

After a couple of hours of warming her on and off, Bakugou let Red rest, giving him time to look over Koge's wound. Much to his surprise, it was already beginning to heal, with no sign of infection or serious damage. "You're lucky, you stupid halfling…" Bakugou spoke softly to the air, using some water on a cloth to wipe the area clean. "You're lucky you are what you are. Or else you'd be dead…" Koge did not respond, though color was returning to her skin and her breathing was more stable. She had smaller cuts and bruises along her body that were also already beginning to heal.

Deciding to not close up the wound with the thread, Bakugou made sure it was completely clean using the alcohol and water before wrapping it up in the clean bandages. Once done, he dressed her back in her clothing, including her shoes, to try and retain her body heat as much as possible.

"I still don't know why I give a shit about you…" Bakugou covered her with her cloak, and then his own. "You piss me off… and you're stupid. But…" He moved some hair out of her face, her brow furrowing a bit in reaction to his touch. "I've never had someone who accepts me… I don't fucking know what to do with you." His attention was pulled to Red as the large dragon scooted his arm back up against Koge's body, once again providing her with his heat. Bakugou looked up into the orange eye of his friend, who was staring down at him sympathetically.

With a scoff, Bakugou stood, ruffling his hair. "Don't look at me like that. Just stay here with her, I need to go hunt. She'll need food when she wakes up." With a soft purr, Red laid his head back down beside the sleeping woman, even bringing his tail around to rest against her other side. Once satisfied that they were both safe as they could be, Bakugou left the cave, back into the bitter wilderness.

…

 _Warm… It's so warm…_

Koge felt as if she were floating on a sea of warm water, her mind and body disconnected from any and all feeling. Except for the warmth. It was heavenly, peaceful, comforting and she felt as if she could stay in this inky blackness forever. She felt no pain, no hunger or thirst and no heartache. It was bliss, and in that moment, it reminded her of being wrapped in a warm embrace.

Who's embrace, though? Who was it that she was remembering? No, not remembering. Feeling. She could feel it, the heat running across her skin like hands were on her body. The tingling of kisses on her lips and the rush of hot breath down her neck. And there was a smell. It filled her body with each breath, warming her from the inside. It was like burning wood and smoke. Where was it coming from? Or who?

 _Why do I keep thinking it's a person… I must be dead. And this must be hell. Maybe I'm destined to feel and smell him for all eternity with no hope of ever being with him again. But who's him…?_

She couldn't even recall who it was that was tormenting her. What had she been doing before she became stuck in this blackness? Who was she with? This warm feeling and scent were so familiar, so strong that she knew it had to be someone-

 _A-ah ow! What-_

Koge's comfort was suddenly yanked from her by the feeling of pain in her side, sending her tumbling through the blackness. Mind spinning rapidly, she thrashed about in the dark, a heavy weight pressing down onto her chest. She was suffocating. She needed to breathe, to feel, to latch onto something that would stop her falling.

" _A-achoo!"_

 _Wha-?_ With the sound of a sneeze, everything stopped. She felt a presence against her back, hard and lumpy, while the pressure on her chest became soft and fluffy. In fact, she could feel something tickling her face, like feathers. Or was it fur? Her entire body felt like a stiff rock, all the thrashing she had done in her mind had been just that, in her mind. She hadn't moved an inch, or so she assumed, as she was sore and her side was aching with a dull pain. Eventually, she tried to swallow, wincing when her throat stung with pain. Damn, she was thirsty and starving, her stomach twisting itself into knots.

Then, she felt it. A warm touch against her cheek, a gentle stroke of her skin. She knew that touch, that wonderful smell that filled her lungs and the low voice that reached her ears. With much effort, she turned her face into the hand that caressed her cheek, eyes fluttering open just long enough to catch a blurry figure beside her.

"K… Katsuki…? You… sneezed..."


	14. Making Love

**NSFW Chapter**

"Hey, don't try to move." Bakugou scooted himself closer to Koge, who probably didn't have the energy to move even if she wanted to. Barely able to keep her eyes open, Koge began to feel the horrible aching of her body and head.

"Thirsty…" She choked out, wincing again at the pain caused by talking. Carefully propping up her head on his leg, Bakugou held the water flask up to her lips, allowing her to sip from it slowly. "Go slow. You'll make yourself sick…"

Koge sighed once done, the water cooling her throat and calming her raging stomach. "Wh.. Where are we?"

Bakugou set the flask aside, laying her back down flat onto the ground. He adjusted the cloaks that covered her a bit, making sure they were still tight around her body for warmth. "In a cave… You've been sleeping for almost three days, now. I found you outside passed out in the snow." Wiggling her arm free, Koge took his hand weakly, wary smile on her lips. "Thank you… Katsuki…"

"Don't thank me… Without Red, I wouldn't have been able to save you." Bakugou looked up at the large dragon, who purred softly as he lowered his nose to Koge's face. She giggled softly as he nuzzled her, releasing Bakugou to stroke her kins nose gently. "Oh, you've kept me warm… Guess that means you… like me now." Before either of them could respond, Koge fell limp, passed out again from exhaustion. Bakugou sighed, carefully moving Koge's arm back under the cloaks that covered her. "Not yet, huh... Stupid girl."

The next two days were ups and downs, with Koge awakening just long enough to drink some water, eat, and be carried outside just long enough to relieve herself. Her wound was healing rapidly, to the point that there wasn't a need for the bandages by the end of the second day. Bakugou spent these long hours waiting, watching, preparing food and hunting. He had even been able to fashion some splints for Red's broken wings, hoping that it would help them heal faster and without any flaws.

Much to her surprise, Koge awoke with quite a bit of energy. It was dark, with only her special eyesight allowing her to see. On her back, she could feel the presence of Red's arm up against her side, the large dragon breathing heavy in his sleep. This was the first time that Koge had actually felt lucid, her head not pounding nor her wound aching. She felt fine. That is, until she attempted to sit up. Her head swam with dizziness and she was forced to stay on her back, giving a small groan in discomfort as she rubbed her face.

A shuffling beside her caught her attention, lowering her hands to look to her left. There, Bakugou was resting, facing her on his side. He was uncovered with only Red's tail against his back to keep him warm, even though he was less than a foot from her. Why he didn't just get under the cloaks with her, she didn't know, nor did she want to wake him up to ask. Using his arm under his head as a pillow, his other lay limp in front of him, fingers twitching slightly as he slept.

Quietly, Koge rolled over onto her side to face him, hiding all but her eyes behind the fluff of his cloak. She couldn't believe how soft he looked when he was sleeping, all frown lines and anger erased from his face. He looked so beautiful and so peaceful that she couldn't stop her heart from fluttering in adoration for him. This man had done so much for her, treated her with an uncharacteristic kindness that she couldn't quite understand. If he didn't like her as much as he said, then why would he do this? If he truly wanted her gone, why would he save her? Most people would have left her to die out in the snow, would claim that she wasn't worth saving.

But she was worth it to him.

Carefully, Koge inched closer, slowly tossing the cloaks over him and wiggling her way under his arm. Although Bakugou did not wake, he gave a heavy sigh, holding her body close to his. She couldn't help but to smile, snuggling into his warmth as their legs intertwined. Even though it was stupid and cheesy of her, Koge felt like he was her missing puzzle piece, the way they fit so perfectly together and how whole he made her feel. If soul mates existed, this is how she imagined it would be, drawn together by this unknown force.

Koge had no idea if he truly felt the same way. She didn't know if he felt that pull, this weird magical bullshit that drove her completely mad. But how could she find out? She knew that he would refuse to talk about it, let alone admit something so damn cheesy. Why he wouldn't let her in, she couldn't understand. But… Maybe…

Maybe… He doesn't like to use words. He's really bad at them, after all… Koge brought her hand up to stroke his cheek gently, captivated by his beauty. He's so stupid… And he's a jerk. But… Unable to resist, she leaned up, resting her lips softly against his. At first, there was no reaction, and Koge was about to pull away when she was suddenly pulled in closer. It wasn't a rough, quick squeeze nor was it panicked. It was soft, his hand sliding up her back and his lips returning her affection. Koge didn't know if he was still half asleep or not, but the fact that Bakugou was being gentle sent a wave of heat through her body.

There's no way he's awake, Koge began to feel breathless, unwilling to pull away and unable to believe she wasn't dreaming. She was pulled closer as he urged her leg up over his hip, his hand resting firmly on her backside to keep her snug against him.

He's still asleep.

A light nibble to her bottom lip made her gasp, her mouth opening for him willingly.

He's being too soft… I'm dreaming!

Tingles spread across her skin as his hand slid further down, teasingly letting his fingers linger between her legs.

I can't take it… I have to look-

Right when there was a moment of rest, Koge opened her eyes, a rush of embarrassment hitting her as Bakugou's crimson gaze met her own. But it wasn't the harsh, cold glare she was used to. Just like his touch, it was soft and longing, sending a fire through her that was more fierce than ever before. As he took her lips again, he carefully shifted them so that she was beneath him, handling her as if she were a fragile, irreplaceable treasure. He was sure to keep them covered and as silent as possible, not wanting to disturb the creature that shared the cave.

Although he couldn't bring himself to admit it, Koge could feel that pull, that unmistakable magnetic force from him. She could feel it in the way he kissed her, caressed her body and stroked her hair. Nothing about this was lustful, hungry or impatient like before. She would dare to say that it was even… loving.

Bakugou wouldn't agree, but he also couldn't deny what it could have been that he was feeling. There was an overwhelming mixture of happiness, desire, regret and fear that was boiling around in his stomach. How could he be letting himself get into this mess? He knew that it wasn't right, and he knew that getting so close to her was dangerous for the both of them. And yet, he couldn't stop himself. Whatever stupid bullshit that the Fates were playing on him was starting to wear him down, and as her fingers tangled into his hair, Bakugou knew that he wasn't going to be able to resist his wanting to be with her.

But how could he? He had planned to sell her off, to leave her to a fate that was probably worse than death. That was before he knew her, yes, but he still couldn't get over that guilt. It ate at him constantly, every kiss or caress she shared with him felt like it was undeserved. He didn't deserve her, and yet, he couldn't pull himself away from her. She was so soft, so sweet against his lips that he never wanted to let go.

So, he wouldn't.

Before either of them had really realized it, Bakugou's pants were undone and Koge had shifted her bodysuit out of the way, having shed her pants hours ago. The feeling of him slipping into her was hotter than she remembered, filling her completely and making her breathless. She wanted to moan, to whisper his name as he began his slow thrusting, but she knew she couldn't. Waking Red by moaning would be a problem, so she needed to control herself. But right away, she found it nearly impossible. Every slow thrust send her body rocketing with pleasure, her arms moving to clutch his torso and legs around his waist.

As Bakugou moved, he kept his face close to hers, watching as her features contorted with pleasure and strained to keep silent. Never before had he wanted to hear a woman moan so badly, to hear her voice when he knew he couldn't have it. Tangling his fingers into her hair, he settled for kissing, keeping them both occupied to not make a sound.

Koge lost track of how long they made love like this, slow and sensual until they were both coated in sweat and straining harder than ever to not make a sound. Koge had made it through two orgasms without a squeak, but as Bakugou grew closer to his own, his thrusts became harder and deeper. She had her face hidden in his shoulder, nails dug into his back as he pleasured them both to a final release. He couldn't resist his own quiet grunt as he dug his hips into hers, his hips softly bucking with the remnants of his release. It felt so good, so hot that Koge could have sworn she felt the warmth all the way into her stomach, his member hitting so deep within her that she almost wanted to beg for more.

Though, she quickly found that she couldn't, her still exhausted body begging to fall back into sleep. All she could do was kiss him, stroke his hair and hold his body close. As they both recovered, she smiled against his lips.

"You just made love to me…"

"Better get used to it."

Koge's smile grew, kissing him again softly before resting back against the ground. "What a way to ask me to be your lover." Bakugou laid down beside her, fixing himself back into his pants before pulling her into his arms. "I never asked that." The cloaks still resting over them, Koge snuggled into him, purring softly. "Oh yes you did. I knew you liked me.~"

"Shut up before I change my mind."

"Well, I accept, Katsuki."

"Tch, good… Now go back to sleep and don't wake me up like that again."

"Can't promise anything. I'm suddenly just full of energy."


	15. A Plan

"Huh? What's wrong, Katsuki? You're so serious."

Koge gazed up at her new lover as he paced a bit in front of her, rubbing the back of his neck. A month had passed since he had first found her in the snow, spent in the same frozen cave with Red as their main source of warmth. While he healed from his injuries, they couldn't leave, so the odd group was forced to stay put. Now, with Red's wings completely healed and just needing to be tested in the skies, Bakugou had another important task he deemed necessary to take care of before they left.

The guilt of what he had done and planned to do with Koge was eating at him, each gentle touch and sweet kiss chipping away at his morality. He had to tell her, had to talk to her about what he had planned to do or he wouldn't be able to continue on like this. So, while Red was out stretching his wings in the cover of heavy snow, Bakugou sat Koge down on a boulder to confess.

"Look…" Bakugou started, unable to even look at her. "When I first captured you, I hadn't… Expected you to be what you were. And I didn't expect that I would… care about you so much." He was unable to help sharing a glance with her at that statement, though the pink in her cheeks only frustrated him further. "And you were right. When we were walking to the village. I…" How hard this was to admit was infuriating, and he wanted to just rip his own hair out and shove his head into the dirt to hide.

"You had wanted to sell me."

Koge's soft voice made him stop his pacing, looking down at her in surprise. Though, she wasn't upset, the soft and comforting smile on her lips calming him just a bit. "Katsuki, I've been alive a long time. I've had my fair share of running from trappers, being caught just to have to escape. You don't think I could have escaped you at the beginning if I really wanted to?" Koge stood, walking up to him. "I may not know magic in this form, but I don't need it, I'm dangerous enough as a dragon." She playfully tugged at one of the necklaces that adorned his neck. "The instant you would have treated me a certain way, I would have been gone. But… I didn't feel that sense of danger from you. I felt like I could trust you. And I still do or else I wouldn't be here."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing herself up on her tiptoes. "I'm not mad, Katsuki. And I don't judge you for it. For someone in your position… I would have done the same thing. An attack requires money, and what better way to make a shit ton of money than selling a halfling. You want your land back… and I'm here to help you, now." Pushing herself up higher, she kissed his lips softly, purring sweetly as he held her body tight against him. As the kiss calmed, she stroked his cheek gently, her smile fading as her expression became solemn.

"So I want you to sell me."

"What?!" Bakugou pushed her body away from him, though he kept his hands firmly on her shoulders. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Koge kept her composure, reaching up to grip onto his forearms tightly. "Katsuki, the entire month we've been in here, I've listened to every detail about what's happened to you. And I want you to get your land back. The pain that I can feel from you is more than I think you are even willing to admit." Her tail began to flick behind her as she kept her gaze locked with his, refusing to back down on her decision. "Sell me and get your money. I can escape-"

"No!" Bakugou snapped at her, gripping her shoulders tighter. "You don't understand how it is in those places. You wouldn't be able to escape once they had you."

"Then you come rescue me." Koge slipped her fingers beneath the rim of Bakugou's belt, pulling him in closer to her. "Pretend to sell me, get the money, and then break me out." Bakugou moved his hands to cup her cheeks. "It would take me longer than you think… Who knows what they would do to you in that time…"

Koge brought one hand up to rest against his, turning her face into his palm to kiss it gently. "Katsuki… There's nothing anyone could do that hasn't already been done to me. I've been all but killed." She stroked the back of his hand gently, her gaze growing hollow as she stared off at the wall. "From people I can't even understand. From my own kind that I could, that I trusted too easily. I was a slave already once, a long time ago… To someone who got off on the way I seized when he broke my horns, since that's the only way to keep me human..." Her gaze finally moved back up to look at him, though it softened at the worried furrow of his brow.

"I'm sorry… I'm sure you don't want to know those things." Koge gently ran her hand up and down his forearm as his hands moved to caress her neck softly. Bakugou gave a small shake of his head, running his thumb across her jawline. "That's not it. I just don't want to be the one to put you through that again. All because… of my selfish goals." Koge let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes at the feeling of his touch. "You're not. I want to. If this is a way I can help you, then let's do it."

"Koge… You're so naive. It won't work."

"It will work."

"You're being so fucking stupid, I can't do it-"

Bakugou was cut off by the ground shaking violently, announcing Red's return. The dragon excitedly called out to his friends to join him, purring and chirping in delight of his apparent successful flight. Releasing a heavy sigh in his frustration, Bakugou turned his gaze back to Koge, who was staring up at him intently. "Katsuki… Please let me do this for you."

"I almost lost Red already… How can I willingly give you up like that?"

"They won't kill me. I can survive until you come to get me. That's probably just a couple of days, right?" Koge let her hands rest on his chest as she moved in closer to him. Bakugou sighed, resting his forehead onto hers. "Just… let me think about it first. You're fucking nuts." Koge smiled, her cheeks flushing bright pink. "Mm… Thank you. But if I'm nuts, you must be extra nuts to be so interested in me." Right before she was able to take his lips for her own, the dragon waiting outside became impatient, growling and stomping his feet as he demanded attention.

Bakugou glared back at the entrance of the cave, irritated by the interruption. "Alright, alright! Fuck, you're such a child sometimes." As he turned his attention back to Koge, she caught him with a kiss, distracting him for just a moment longer. Hugging her to him tightly, he placed a firm kiss on her forehead once she set him free. "Let's go see what the whiny brat out there wants to show off, hm?"

Giggling softly, Koge nodded, purring sweetly as she nuzzled her face into his neck.

"Let's. Maybe then he'll go flying more and give us some more time alone."

…

"I don't know about this, Koge… This isn't smart." Bakugou spoke quietly, holding Koge in his lap with his arms and cape wrapped around them both tightly. Sitting on Red's head between his horns, the group was hidden behind the edge of the forest, watching the trading compound in the distance. Animals, people, dragons and other creatures had been ushered into the large building, but none ever exited. Only the greedy traders came out, with their bags of money that varied in size depending on what they sold. Koge sighed, soaking in Bakugou's warmth while she could. "Katsuki, it will be okay. I know you'll be able to get me out."

"What if I can't?"

"You can! I know you can."

"They're going to fuck you up in there, Koge… I can't do it."

Koge turned around to face him, cupping his cheeks and squishing them together gently. "Katsuki. Don't worry about that. I'll be okay. I'll be okay as long as you promise me that you'll come for me. So say it."

Bakugou stared down at her for a long while before he finally let out a long breath. "Fine. I fucking promise. I just-"

"No." Koge put a finger to his lips, shushing him and ignoring his glare. "I got this. Now tie me up and take me."

"That sounds different from what you actually mean, you know."

With a small roll of her eyes, Koge took one last quick kiss from him before standing, wiggling out of his arms. It pained her to do so, but she knew that if she didn't keep pushing, he was going to bail out of this plan. Bakugou was more worried about this whole ordeal than she was, but at this time, there was nothing else that they could do if they wanted the money. This was the most important thing to him, and Koge would do anything to help him.

As they hopped off the top of Red's head, Koge was instantly nudged by her large kin, who whined and looked at her with worry. Purring softly, Koge stroked his snout, doing her best to comfort him. "It will be alright. You'll come to save me soon. Just keep Mr. Hot Head in check while I'm gone, okay?" Red affectionately blew hot air from his nose, showering her in warm embers and making the young halfling laugh softly.

With a final pat to his red scales, Koge turned her attention back up to Bakugou, who's brow was furrowed with frustration and worry.

"Okay, Katsuki… Let's do it."


	16. Traitor

The absolute overwhelming size of the trading compound didn't truly dawn on Koge until they were right outside of the gates, beginning to feel the heavy weight of fear crashing down on her, as if the heavy metal gate had come loose from its hinges and fell on her. The ropes that bound her arms behind her back seemed to grow tighter with each aching moment and the urge to run was almost unbearable.

Could she really do this? She had been so confident, talking Bakugou into this whole idea without a single waver in her resolve. Now that they were here, waiting for their turn to enter the gates, Koge was beginning to second guess herself. She knew exactly what could happen to her in there, what type of torture she would have to endure until Bakugou came to get her. Her horns would surely be cracked to prevent her from changing, beatings, humiliation and sexual assault would undoubtedly follow. Did she have the strength, both physically and mentally, to withstand it all?

No, it wasn't a question of if she could. She had to. She had to do this, for Bakugou. If it was for him, she knew that she could handle anything that was thrown at her. _It will only be for a little while… He will come to get me. He will._

Standing behind her, Bakugou was feeling just as nervous, holding onto the rope in his hand so tightly he feared it may just begin to sizzle away with his magic. How difficult it was for him to keep his cool was beyond what he had expected, still trying to come to terms with agreeing to do this. It was so selfish, so horrifically stupid that he wanted to just grab Koge and shake some sense into her. But, she was right. This was the easiest way for him to get all the money he needed, and then, during her transport, he would swoop in and rescue her. Typically, the traders would hold auctions to sell off their goods, living or not, and they took them around in carts and on foot. Most likely, Koge would be lined up and tied to a group of others like her, forced to walk for miles on end to the auctioning site. That would be his chance.

His thoughts were broken for a moment as Koge gave a sniffle, visibly trembling. To be more convincing, she had removed all her clothes except for her bodysuit and cape, which had already gotten worn and ripped from daily use. It was still the dead of winter, so standing barefoot and mostly naked out in the cold was beginning to take his toll on her. Bakugou knew it would be at least mildly better inside, but watching her freeze without being able to comfort her was tugging at his heart. He didn't want to do this.

Suddenly, the gates opened, allowing a man to walk out with a decently large sack in his hands and a stupidly proud look on his face. He had brought in a large, furry animal that Koge couldn't recognize, though it resembled a mix between a wolf and a bear. How he had kept it so tame was unknown to her, but she assumed that it was because of the collar around the animal's neck, which had spikes that dug painfully into its flesh if it tried to move away.

With the wave of a guard, Bakugou and Koge were beckoned to come inside. To keep up the facade, Bakugou nudged Koge roughly in the shoulder, forcing her to start walking with a slight fumble over her own feet. The cold stone was a reprieve from the snow beneath her feet, but she nearly wanted to vomit the instant she crossed the threshold. The stench of filth and death was overwhelming for her heightened senses, the metallic smell of blood even leaving a taste on her tongue.

Instead of focusing on the smells and sounds, she tried to focus on what surrounded her, eyes darting this way and that as she took in the environment. Unlike what she expected, the room they entered was decently small, though two different entryways led down dimly lit hallways. In between the halls, sitting and standing near the wall, was a group of people. She could easily see that not all of them were human, noticing at least one other dragon halfling like herself, and a few others that were different species which sported animal features. None of them had a friendly aura around them, their purpose clear as the scowls or malicious smirks on their faces.

"Bakugou! What a surprise to see you here!" A man standing in the center of the group spoke loudly, his voice booming inside the enclosed room. "And not having your dick sucked this time!" The group chuckled and snickered at the comment, and though Koge couldn't understand, she recognized this man's voice from the bathhouse over a month ago. He had been the one to walk in on her and Bakugou, and though she hadn't seen him at the time, his voice was unmistakable.

Much unlike him, Bakugou didn't respond, standing stiff and uncomfortable beside the still trembling halfling. With a victorious clap and rub of his hands, the man began to walk towards them, eyeing Koge up and down. "Who's this little lady? Your way to pay me back?"

"No." Bakugou snapped, his glare sharp enough to make the man pause a few feet away. "You keep what I owe you from how much she's worth, which is less than five percent. If you try to fuck me over, your brains will be splattered all over the walls."

The threat was taken as if it meant nothing, only a chuckle coming from the tradesman with a nonchalant shrug. "Okay, okay! I get it, Mr. Prince! Let us inspect this little darling then, hm?" Reaching forward with a dirty hand, slender fingers tugged at the rope of her cloak, which fell off her shoulders and onto the floor. Koge couldn't resist swallowing hard as she grew nervous, her tail wrapping around her bare legs as she tried to keep her eyes turned away. She had a feeling that if she looked into the eyes of any of these people, her courage would crack into nothing.

"She's quite the looker, isn't she? Seems healthy and fit. No obvious wounds. Yes, yes she'll make some wealthy man very happy. How's her speech?" After circling her like a shark, he took hold of her chin, roughly turning her head from one side to the other and forcing her to open her mouth so he could inspect her teeth.

"She can't understand us, but she can speak and read. She can't write." As Bakugou explained her limited skills, Koge noticed the man inspecting her give a furrow of his brow, as if that wasn't a satisfactory response.

"Speak, then, creature." He pointed to his lips, prompting Koge to mumble a timid 'yes' in response.

"Hm, well, her voice is nice and quiet, that's good at least. She won't be fucking annoying." After a final check of grimy fingers in her hair to feel around her horns, the man stepped back, giving a flick of his hand towards the group. "Bring out seven. It would be seven and a half, but Mr. Princy-boy here owes me."

With the command, a younger man took off down the left hallway, while the dragon halfling made their way over to Koge. They towered over her, though as they approached, Koge could tell that they were actually a female, read horns and hair perched atop their head. Thin and gangly, she was much older than Koge, probably another five hundred years or more. She too inspected Koge in the same way, but when she spoke, her words rang clear in the young woman's mind.

"She is pure. By her size, I expect that she is primarily a ground walker, not good for riding or flying. Her mouth has a purple tint, so she breathes corrosive breath. It would be best to disarm."

Before Koge or Bakugou could even comprehend what she meant, Koge's head was trapped in an armlock, sending a rush of fear through her body that would have normally forced her to change form. She never got the chance, as a searing pain rushed through her body with the stomach-churning sound of her horns cracking, brought on by the other halfling with some tool Bakugou had never seen before.

"Hey, what the fuck, you gangly bitch-!" In an instant, Bakugou was held back by two large men, only able to watch in shock as Koge fell to the ground, screaming and writhing in pain. Pieces of her horns littered the ground around her, though the red halfling began to gather them up, mumbling something that the pieces were still valuable. With a rough shove and explosions from his palms, Bakugou pushed the men off of him, snatching the leader by the front of his shirt. "Asshole, you haven't paid for her yet!" He knew that he had to direct his anger towards a different topic, refusing to let on that he was actually upset by them causing her pain. With a scoff, the man only smirked at him.

"We couldn't risk our most expensive item from running away. Besides, your money is on the way! Ah! Speak of the devil."

Just as he said, the young man returned, holding a small leather bag. As he held it out towards Bakugou, the furious blonde snatched it up, opening it to inspect his money. Sure enough, there was the promised amount, and the unforgivable act was done. Koge had been traded for money, for his homeland, and for his pride. The contents of this little bag would give him everything he had ever wanted, while losing the thing that he found he needed. The person he had grown to care for so deeply, that had filled the void in his heart had given up her freedom for him. No matter what, he had to get her back.

"Are we done here? I think we are." The lead trader smiled at Bakugou, patting him on the shoulder as if he were an old friend. "Thanks, bud. Your debt is repaid and I'm about to be fucking rich! Have a good life, you fucking bastard." With a nod of his head, Bakugou was shoved towards the entrance by the two large guards who had stopped him before, though Bakugou was quick to shove right back.

"Fuck off, I can walk myself to the door!" As he made his way, his heart grew heavier and a sickness began to grow in his stomach. Koge was still on the ground, completely passed out from the breaking of her horns. The men were crowded around her already, and the thought of what they would do to her behind closed doors made him furious. How could he allow this to happen? How could he willingly put her through this?

Did he truly care about her in the first place, if he was willing to do this just for revenge?

When he got back outside, he trudged through the snow in a daze, only coming to a stop when he fell to his knees next to Red. Everything rushed out of him in a violent wave, heaving as he vomited and struggled to breathe. This pain was just as intense as when he had lost Red, but this wasn't a loss. He had given her away. He had traded her for something as trivial as money.

"I'm fucking scum." Bakugou was finally able to speak after a moment, spitting off to the side to rid his mouth of the taste of bile. "I'm no better than that filth I just gave her to. How could I go along with this? What the fuck is wrong with me?!"

With a soft whine, Red lied his head down behind Bakugou, allowing the broken man to sit and lean back against his cheek. Taking a heavy breath, he clutched the bag of money tightly in his hands, the weight of it feeling like a boulder had been tied to his soul, or what he had left of it. "Her life is worth so much more than what I've done to her. Not just this, but everything. I'm such a fucking selfish prick."

Bakugou knew that he had to pull himself out of this, to get his mind focused and off of pitying himself. He didn't have time for that. He had to stand guard, to watch them for any sign of movement or transport of their prisoners. Sitting around moping would do nothing. So, after a moment to calm himself, he stood, tying the bag of money to his hip. Climbing up to sit between Red's horns, he gave his friend a firm pat on the head.

"We have to find a good high point to watch them for movement. The instant you smell her, we go in. Let's go."


	17. Abandonment

TW: Multiple mentions of sexual and physical abuse

Nothing was harder to get accustomed to than the feeling of abandonment. That was something that Koge could easily admit. The suffocating feeling that she had been left, forgotten and condemned broke her into pieces, bringing her to tears every night.

How many nights had it been? In this mansion, and by the swelling of her abdomen, she figured at least six months. But since she had originally been left to a life of slavery by the man she thought was her lover? Seven months, at least. She had been hopeful those first few days, suffering through abuse and torment by captors and those that wanted to use her for their pleasures.

It's only been a week. She would tell herself. He'll come for me soon.

Then a week turned into two.

Two weeks into a month.

Koge figured that the reason Bakugou didn't come for her was that she hadn't been taken outside yet. She knew she was in the belly of the compound, securely locked away, only to be found by those who knew where to look for her. Still, in her slowly breaking mind, she thought that perhaps he would try to storm the building to get her, using Red to distract while he searched the halls for her. While sitting on the blood and filth soaked mattress that she had been given, Koge daydreamed of such a heroic rescue. She dreamed of his face, his arms around her, scooping her up and taking her out into the sun. Pleasant warmth was something she had been denied, but it was one thing that she would give her life to feel again.

The disgusting food, beatings, and rape were something that she never figured she would have to grow used to expecting. But she did, knowing that if someone were to come into her cell, they would be there until they were satisfied. So it was no surprise that the slave that came into her cell encountered her cowering in the corner, trying to make herself as small and invisible as possible. They weren't there to hurt her, however. Instead, they came with a bucket of warm water and a sponge, bathing her as they told her the wonderful news.

She had been sold!

This was it. Finally, she was going to be transported and Bakugou would have the chance to get her. Everything was looking up, Koge was beginning to feel hopeful again.

Until she woke up.

After the bath and a meal, Koge had fallen into a deep sleep. Drugged, she now assumed, as she awoke in an unfamiliar room. She did have to admit that at first observation, it was much nicer than her previous confinement, a clean bed with sheets and blankets and even a small fireplace to keep the room warm. For the first time in that entire month, she was dressed, though only in a thin white gown that fell to her knees.

The momentary sense of comfort was interrupted by a man entering into the room, followed by a guard that was familiar to her from the compound. The large, heavyset but well-dressed man was whom she assumed had bought her, but there was no comfort in the fact that he looked wealthy. The grin on his face was malicious, and Koge very quickly found out that this was not the safe haven she had wished for.

The beatings and use for sex continued, but was paired with hard labor, cleaning and working out in the garden for hours on end. She was fed well, had a soft bed, was always given clean clothes and a bath daily, but that was for no benefit of her own. It was for her master, who demanded she be squeaky clean every day for his enjoyment.

A month turned into two. Then three.

By now, Koge knew that she was pregnant. Her stomach had grown and there had been many other signs that she had been wanting to ignore, but there was no doubt about it now. The thought pained her, but she knew that it was Bakugou's child. There had been no other halflings that had touched her, and she knew from her centuries of life that she couldn't conceive with humans. It was just another thing for the Fates to torture her with, to leave her with a burden of the man that had yet to save her.

How could he? Did he even know where she was now? She didn't even know where she was, only able to tell that they were somewhere without a single mountain or forest around them for miles. None of the other slaves could speak to her, and she wasn't allowed in the library, so there was no way for her to find out.

Three months turned into four.

Koge had noticed there had been some talk of getting rid of her child. Instead, greed won over, and it was decided that they would sell it once it was of a good age. Koge's torture and workload lessened, to lift so much strain off of her so that she didn't lose the child on accident. She was thankful, but it only left her with more time to think.

She couldn't get it out of her mind, how Bakugou had left her. It was a brooding, something that plagued her every second that she had time to think to herself. Her thoughts bounced around to anger at herself for ever going through with this, to extreme sadness at the thought that he had left her on purpose, to hope that he was still looking for her. There was still hope, right?

Four months turned into five.

Her horns were recracked to keep her human form, and she almost lost her child from the extreme stress and pain the procedure put on her. Mage Healers were able to save it, however, and her pregnancy continued as normal. Often, when she was alone in her room, she would sit there and stroke her belly, telling the child stories out loud in a soft voice. She loved the baby, as she had its father. Or did? Did she still love him? She didn't know.

Thinking of him brought on new questions that he had never truly explained to her. He had to be at least partly dragon born to be able to get her pregnant in the first place. All that time, he had hidden what he really was and why he could use that powerful magic. Yes, he had told her about his homeland, about how he was the prince and that his family was driven away by war. For some reason, it never clicked in her mind that the royal family from the south were dragon born. Perhaps he expected her to just… get it without explanation, but she didn't. He had continued to make love to her all that time, knowing damn well that a pregnancy could happen.

And that only made her sadness worse. Had he wanted a family with her? Had he already thought about those things? Dragons had a tendency to imprint, to bond to another soul so fiercely that any other affection could never compare, and Koge knew that is what had happened to them. Bakugou had wanted a future with her, but his homeland was too much weight on his shoulders, and it took priority in the end. That is all that Koge could consider to be the truth.

Five months turned into six.

Koge's greatest solace was out in the garden, where she picked fruits, vegetables and tended to the plants. She could be out in the summer sun, soaking in the warmth and enjoying a few hours of nature. When she first arrived, she would find herself stopping and staring up at the sky, hoping and wishing for a flicker of red in the clouds. By now, she didn't even bother to glance up, knowing that there would be nothing there. There wasn't a point in watching, waiting and hoping only for her heart to be chipped away every time the disappointment hit her.

Dreams tormented her, however, being sure to remind her every night about the way that Bakugou used to touch her, how he smiled at her and cared for her like she was a precious jewel. Even the bad things that had happened up to this point couldn't drown out the dreams, which should have brought her happiness. Instead, they just made her miss him more, to the point that she refused to sleep if she could handle staying awake. Her pregnancy came with insomnia anyway, so she accepted it, staying up and watching a flame flicker on a candle until it was nothing but a puddle of wax.

There was no way that he would be coming for her by now. She was lost, nothing but a memory to him. He must have grown to realize that he didn't want her around, that she was just a step on his way up the stairs to his goal. A pawn. A tool. A warm body to fuck. Maybe that's all she was ever meant to be. What else was she good for? She couldn't communicate, she didn't have any talents, and she didn't belong.

None of that was true. She could communicate with him. He showed her that she was worth something and the power that she had. She belonged with him. She was meant to be his lover.

How badly she wanted it was something she could never express into words or actions. No matter how long she waited, no matter what happened to her, she never hated him. There was never a true sense of disgust when she thought of him, never a resentment. There was only a fluttering of her heart, a smile, and a longing. Yes, there was sadness and frustration, but never hatred. No matter what, she didn't think she could ever really hate him. And in the end, all she could do was forgive him.

So she did.

Six months turned into seven.

Koge was too far in her pregnancy to do much hard work now, but she was still working outside in the garden. It was where her work was the most beneficial and where she always did the best, so that is where she was told to work, and she didn't complain. And she didn't watch the sky or listen for the sound of a gruff deep voice calling to her. All she listened to was the birds in the trees and fluttering of a nearby butterfly. It was peaceful. She forgave, and she found peace.

In her peace, she began making plans. If she could change into her dragon form, even find just a split second of a chance, then she would be able to escape easily. Her horns would be grown back in within a few months, and by then her child will be taken from her. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to fight it, if there would be any chance of running away with the baby, but that was something she would have to consider closer to that time. She wanted the baby desperately, to keep and love it, but she knew that they wouldn't allow such a thing. For money, of course. Everything has a price.

Running away was possible, as she had done with her first master many years ago, when she melted his face off before fleeing. This man that owned her now, however, was smart and kept a close watch on her horn growth to keep her in check and unable to change. But, there was always a slight hope that there would be a hiccup, and she would have no trouble getting out. Hope was something she had very little faith in.

One day, while tending to the garden, she found herself particularly lost in thought and… distracted. She thought that, occasionally, she caught a whiff of a dragon. Perhaps, she figured, that it was one just passing by. It didn't even register in her mind that it could have been Red, that maybe her rescue was finally coming. That wasn't something that could have been possible by now.

Until the explosion came, that shook the earth and nearly blinded Koge with light.


	18. I Love You

Yelling out in shock, Koge lost her balance, falling back to sit on her backend from kneeling. At first, she was forced to cover her eyes, the blinding light and intense heat of flames disrupting all her senses. There was a ringing in her ears, making her dizzy and nauseous, and the smell of burning wood only intensified the churning of her stomach.

 _What the hell happened?! Did the furnace explode or did someone set fire to the mansion?!_ Taking in deep breaths to try and calm herself, she lowered her arm from in front of her eyes, gasping out in shock at the state of the building. The east wing was completely engulfed in flames, debris littering the surrounding landscape. There was no logical reason as to why it exploded that Koge could think of, but it wasn't as if she knew anything about the home to such a critical level. Still, something had happened, and now…

What should she do?

The ideas that she could escape weren't her own. She could see other slaves and workers running away into the fields, leaving behind their shelter in favor of nature. But could she do that? She was nearly eight months pregnant, no way to change into her dragon form and no way to protect herself. She would surely be caught if she tried to gather supplies first, even with the distraction created by the fire. Whether the Master of the estate was dead or not at this point didn't matter, his guards that stood watch over the grounds would surely be able to stop her.

There was no choice in the matter.

She had to run.

Getting herself to her feet was more difficult than one would expect, having to use a tree beside her to pull herself up. Her legs were trembling and they felt like heavy stones, keeping her anchored in her spot. She had to go. She had to run-

Another explosion, this time at the west wing of the estate, startled Koge out of her thoughts, nearly losing her footing again. Holding onto the tree, she was able to stay steady and push herself off to start making her way towards the fields. She didn't even get two steps in before she stopped, hearing something over the sound of chaos.

Her name.

At first, it was like a soft echo of a memory, a distant voice that had plagued her dreams. It was what she had been wishing to hear from the moment she first awoke in the cells of the trading compound. That voice… His voice.

"Katsuki-" His name leaving her lips for the first time in seven months was like sweet fruit on her tongue, and the second time was like a storm, raging and panicked. "Katsuki!"

The roar of a dragon startled her, spinning around to finally see a familiar red figure through the billowing smoke. Her vision becoming blurry with tears, she backed up out from under the cover of a tree, once again screaming out his name as loud as she could. It was like a dream, watching Red hover towards her, slowly and tenderly scooping her up off the ground. She didn't fight him and she didn't panic, resting into his scales as she watched the world shrink beneath her.

The hot summer air became crisp and cool as they went. To where? Koge wasn't sure. Even as they landed, she kept calm, waiting until he was on his hind feet and holding her to the ground before she slid out of his claws. Stumbling back from him, she gazed upon the brilliant red of his scales, at first surprised to see that he was covered in high-quality dragon armor, leather, and jewels. He truly looked like a war dragon from the south, even painted in areas with black markings to represent his clan.

As she marveled at him, she didn't notice any other movement until there was a dull thud from her right, pulling her gaze from the dragon to look at the source. Standing there, cautious and just as bewildered as her, was Bakugou. At first, she noticed that he was dressed differently, with a grey top and pants. Even in the heat of summer, he sported his same cloak, the familiar comfort of being wrapped in its fabric pricking at the back of her stunned mind.

All Koge could think to do at the moment was caress her belly, feeling the child inside flutter about. Then, again, his name left her lips, followed by tears and a smile that she had nearly forgotten. "Katsuki-!"

Within seconds, Bakugou closed the gap between them, clutching her petite and sobbing body to him as tightly as her swollen belly would allow. Arms around his neck, her knees nearly immediately gave out on her, bringing them both to the ground. They sat there in the grass, holding each other until Koge had let out everything she had. Nearly an hour they sat there in silence, the first comprehensible words finally spilling from her.

"I-I had given up! Katsuki, I had given up on you ever finding me!"

"I'm sorry." Bakugou kept his face resting against the top of her head, feeling too ashamed to look at her. "I'm sorry that it took me so long. Everything just…. It just all went wrong."

Voice trembling, Koge released him, reaching up to wipe her eyes and face of tears. "Where d-did you go? What ha-happened?"

"Koge, I… I waited. I watched, day and night, for two months. There was never a sign of them moving you. Eventually, I just couldn't wait anymore, and I hired someone to go in and ask what they had in stock… like he was buying for a wealthy person. That he had heard rumors that they had a… a halfling. And you were already gone. I didn't see- I would have noticed." His voice tinged with panic, Bakugou finally cupped her cheeks, pulling her softly to look up at him. "I searched for weeks, flying and trying to find you. In the end, I… I couldn't."

"S-so you… you did give up?" No matter how much Koge wanted, how easy it was for her to love him, she could already feel it. A hard wall, and feeling of betrayal that wouldn't be so easily destroyed. But then, what she loved so much about him came through, what both irritated and made her care so deeply for him.

"... Yes. Yes, I gave up." Bakugou's blatant honesty was never something that Koge hated, because it was already difficult for him to spill his emotions in the first place. She could see it on his face, how much it pained him to admit such a thing. "I felt so pathetic. That I couldn't even keep that one promise to you, that I would come to save you quickly. I knew how clever you were, I figured that you would be able to escape, but I didn't know… I didn't know about this." One hand fell to rest on her swollen abdomen. "This stopped you… Didn't it?"

Blinking away new tears, Koge nodded. "I was… going to escape after it was born. I had wanted to believe all this time that you just couldn't find me… That you hadn't forgotten me on purpose. I was right…"

"Koge, I never forgot you. Not even for a second. In the end, I had to stop looking and I… went home. And I got it back. I won." The small smile that tugged at the corners of his lips made Koge's heart swell, feeling such a strong sense of pride.

"You did…? Is that why you both look so nice?" She glanced up at Red before back to Bakugou, who nodded with a short, amused chortle.

"You would bring that up instead… Yes, we won. Once things were settled… I began looking for you again. With my power and status, I shut down that shithole that had bought you and found your paperwork. That's how I found you. I had to watch for a few days, to learn your routine and figure out the best distraction. But I did it."

As she sat there listening to him, Koge wanted so badly to be happy. She wanted so much to feel that familiar rush of adoration, to feel that tingly bubbling in her stomach. But she was so broken, having given up so much of herself waiting for him that she couldn't help but… blame him. All the torture, pain and sadness had been brought on to her because of him, even though she had originally agreed to the plan, it was never supposed to be like how it was. She had done it all for him. He had reaped the rewards while she suffered. Could she ever get rid of this bitterness? Would it ever heal? Would it ever be how it was again?

It would. Because he had come back for her. It wasn't like when he had left her in the snow all those months ago, willing to abandon her without looking back. For the first time in her life, someone wanted her as badly as she wanted them. With his love, with his support, she knew that her wounds would heal.

"I just…" Bakugou spoke again after a moment, softly moving some hair out of her face. "I just want you to forgive me. If you can't, then I'll understand but I want- I hope you will."

Tenderly, Koge caressed his cheek, unable to resist the smile on her lips. "My Katsuki… I've already forgiven you. How could I not? You came back for me, and… You've gotten much better at expressing yourself with words over these months."

Cheeks flushing, Bakugou gave a soft click of his tongue, turning his face into her hand to kiss to palm softly. "I've… thought a lot about what I would say to you. I thought about this moment constantly. I can't believe you're picking on me for that!"

"I'm not! It's just so sweet… I thought about it a lot, too. But Katsuki, I… I'm broken, now. I'm used… and disgusting." Her voice began to waver, her emotional trauma bringing her to new tears. "You might be the same, but I-I don't know how long it will take me… When I'll be myself again."

"Shh, hey…" Both his hands caressed her face again, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "Don't worry about that right now, okay? I'm not going to abandon you, no matter what's been done to you. You don't even have to tell me about it if you don't want to. I am going to take care of you. We'll get through it together. And you are not disgusting. You're absolutely fucking beautiful."

Hiccuping, Koge couldn't resist a soft giggle and smile at his praise, cuddling herself into his chest to feel his warmth. That familiar scent of burning wood and embers, the heat that spread through every inch of her at his touch and his voice were everything that she had dreamed about. She finally had him back… and she was free.

"Katsuki…. I love you."

"I love you, Koge. And I can't wait to take you home… and have you as my Queen. If you want to deal with my bullshit, anyway."

"Queen, huh?" Koge smiled up at him, her heart fluttering violently as he kissed her lips with a sweet and gentle passion. "Mm… As long as you kiss me like that all the time, I'll accept."

With another click of his tongue, Bakugou kissed her again, softly stroking her cheek with his thumb. Reaching up, Koge gently took his hand and moved it down to her belly, smiling against his lips as she gazed up at him. "And this baby… it's yours, Katsuki. Are you sure you're ready to have a family?"

"I think I've been ready since the moment you smacked your head on a rock by the fire and made me laugh."

Giggling softly, Koge looked up at Red as he lowered his nose to them, purring deeply with a gentle nuzzle against their bodies. His petite kin gave his snout the best hug she could manage, giving his scales a soft kiss before gazing up into his orange eyes. "And thank you, big guy. I love you, too. Thank you for keeping him safe."

Humming low, Red affectionately showered them in embers. Bakugou scoffed, swatting them away as Koge laughed. "Hey, you big idiot, those probably aren't good for the baby!"

"It's okay! It's okay, Katsuki-" Koge tugged on his cape, gaining his full attention as his expression softened. Smiling, she kissed him once more sweetly, able to feel the pure love radiating from him, even if he didn't know how to properly express it. With him is where she belonged, and no matter how many years they had together, she knew that they would be happy.

"Let's go home… My Katsuki."

 _End_


	19. Blessings

Ten years. That wasn't a very long time in relation to the rest of Koge's life, but it had definitely been the most memorable. She could remember every moment of the past decade like it had just happened, every touch, event and birth fresh in her mind. There wasn't a second that she would trade, not for all the jewels and riches in the world. The most precious thing in the world to her was her family, and after all the hardships her life had brought her, they had finally brought her peace.

Well, as much peace as she could gain. It was a crazy life, of raising her three children and helping to run her husband's expanding territory. Breeding and raising dragons wasn't an easy task either, but it was worthwhile, especially when a species that was near extension successfully laid eggs or when they found freedom and a place to belong here. Hearing their cries of joy across the skies would bring a smile to her face when sitting out in the palace courtyard for a moment of temporary solitude.

At the moment, she found some peace and quiet sitting on the edge of the fountain, listening to the water trickle behind her while she watched the sun set behind the mountains. With winter approaching, there was already snow beginning to gather at the peaks, but the air around her was still at a comfortable temperature. It was a nice and relaxing evening, the sounds of chirping small birdlike dragons filling the air. They seemed so happy, so content in their environment, just as she was. This palace was old and huge, architecturally brilliant in design with nearly impenetrable defenses, which were admittedly quite new.

Since Bakugou took back his homeland, he had done everything in his power to reinforce it, to return it to the glory and status that it once represented. A place of fire, of power and of dragons, that would send other territories running with their tails between their legs. Not all was back to how it should be, as there were still many repairs that needed to be done and laws to be corrected, but there had been a lot of progress. His people were so thankful for the return of his bloodline and rule, as they had been in turmoil before he came back. Koge loved watching him work, able to see him absolutely beaming with pride.

Being his wife was everything she had ever dreamed of. After the birth of their first son, they celebrated with an extravagant wedding, party and crowning ceremony. Yes, it all went very well, though Koge did have to admit her favorite parts were running off with Bakugou during the midst of the festivities to find a quiet place just to each other. So much attention and respect was something she had difficulty growing used to, and despite her attempts, she still could not understand people well. It had gotten better as she learned to read lips and relate them to written words, and Bakugou was there as often as he could be to help. Teaching her was also a priority for him, and it became a true bonding experience for them at the beginning.

It wasn't just her speech that he had helped her with all these years. Slowly, her mental and emotional wounds were healed, her trauma locked away but not forgotten. There were still dreams and moments of panic that she couldn't control, but as he had promised, Bakugou never left her when she needed him to recover. He was just as much of a stubborn hardass as when she first met him, distant and rough to the world. But with her and behind closed doors, he was affectionate and gentle at times, though that wasn't to say that he completely rid himself of that fiery attitude that she adored.

With a tender touch, she reached up to run her fingers along the necklace that rested near her collarbone, feeling the smooth metal. Along with the ring on her finger, this was a gift Bakugou had given her on their wedding night in the privacy of their chambers, a sentimental gift that she wore every day without fail. And then, as if on cue, she could hear his voice booming down the hallway.

 _"Where's your Mom? Huh? You said you knew where she was, squirt."_

 _"I do know, Daddy! She's at the fountain!"_

 _"You sure about that? How do you know?"_

 _"I can smell her, duh!"_

Koge couldn't resist the smile that crossed her lips, turning her body a bit to watch the entrance to the courtyard. Soon enough, the tiny body of her daughter sprang forth, bouncing and pointing in excitement towards her.

"See, see?! She's here, just like I said!" The eight-year-old Natsuki pushed her wild hair blonde hair out of her face, as if to make sure she was actually looking at her mother and not some stranger. Rounding the corner behind here was Bakugou, holding their youngest in his arms with their eldest walking along beside him. Even though all the stress and physical trauma that Koge had gone through while pregnant with him, Matsuki was born completely healthy, though was quite timid natured compared to his siblings. Atsuki, the youngest at three years old, was showing the most promising signs as far as inheriting Bakugou's magic. For now, though, that wasn't something that was on the parent's minds. They just wanted to enjoy their family.

Koge giggled softly, giving a small wave to them as Natsuki dashed across the grass to her. "Well hello my babies! You could smell me, huh? Does that mean I stink?"

Natsuki scoffed as she hopped up to stand on the edge of the fountain next to her mother, tenderly messing with her jeweled hair piece. "No, Momma," the young girl stood closer as Koge put her arm around her legs. "I'm just a good smeller!"

"Ooh a good smeller, of course!" Koge's gaze moved up to Bakugou as he came to stand beside her as well. "And why were you looking for me, hm?"

Bakugou chuckled, patting Atsuki on the back. Sucking on his thumb, it was obvious that the child had been crying. "He was worried that he couldn't find you. So, we set out looking."

"Aw, my poor darling." Koge took the baby as Bakugou handed him towards her, letting the child wrap his arms around her neck and rest against her shoulder. "Mommy is always very close, baby. You can always find me." In happiness of hearing her voice, Atsuki's white and red accented tail began to sway.

"How'd class go?" Koge questioned Matsuki, who flopped to sit on the grass. His tail wrapped absentmindedly around his own hips, blue eyes looking up to the sky in thought.

"Hmm… Fine, I guess. It was hard for me to focus because my head hurts from my horns…" Matsuki reached up and rubbed the skin around his light blue horns, where they were growing in on the sides of his head near his ears, much like Koge's. So far, he was the only one to sprout both horns and a tail. Natsuki didn't seem to be growing in any physical dragon features just yet, and Atsuki was still too young to have anything but his tail. None of them had the ability to change just yet, but that didn't usually manifest until they hit their growth stunt in their twenties.

"Don't worry, we'll use ice and heat on them again tonight before bed. And how about you?" Koge looked up at Bakugou, smiling as he sat down on the other side of her with a sigh.

"They all did well in class today, I think. They can all summon the magic, just at different levels." Bakugou let his arm rest around her hips as Natsuki moved away, starting her trek around the rim of the fountain. Koge leaned her body against him, letting her toddler son go so he could follow his sister, though she did quietly warn him to be careful.

"I'm glad they did well in class." She watched Atsuki for a moment before turning her attention to her husband, feeling her cheeks flush as he placed a small, affectionate kiss on the top of her head. "But they have an amazing teacher, so I'm not surprised."

Bakugou gave an amused scoff and a small shake of his head. "C'mon now, don't make my head bigger than it already is. I–"

He was interrupted by a sudden loud squeal and the sound of splashing, turning to look at the chaos behind him. Natsuki had fallen into the shallow pool of the fountain, pushing herself up out of the water and giving a violent shake of her head. "I slipped!"

Before anyone else could react, Atsuki took it upon himself to jump in beside her, laughing as he fell back to sit. "I slipped!"

"Don't copy me, Astu!" Face red and pout on her lips, Natsuki huffed, bringing herself to her knees. "It's not funny!"

Obviously worried, even though there was no need to be, Matsuki made his way over to reach in. "Here, Natsu, I'll help you– AH!" With a yell of his own, and a malicious betrayal by his sister, Matsuki was yanked into the pool, off balance and fumbling over his own feet.

Watching them wrestle and splash each other, Bakugou couldn't help but to chuckle, even though playing in the fountain was against the rules he had set. "Hey, what do you three think you're doing?"

"Babies, you know you're not supposed to get in the–"

Suddenly, both parents were showered with water, not a single word of their scolding heard.

"Ah, Natsuki, you splashed Mom–!"

"You started wrestling with me! All I did was pull you in! Hey, no using your tail, cheater!"

Feeling as if any attempts to stop them were useless at the point, Koge smiled up at Bakugou, giving a shrug in surrender. "Let them have some fun. But hey, you know what they say."

"What do they say?"

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" Snatching onto his clothes before he could even react, Koge fell backwards with him into the pool, laughing as he yelled. They both landed with a large splash, Koge's laughter joined in by her children.

Never in her life had Koge ever expected to have a family like this, to find happiness and a place to belong. It was everything she had ever wanted, and these moments are what made all the hardships wither away.

Propping himself up on one elbow, Bakugou scoffed as he pushed his hair back out of his face, though the smirk on his lips told Koge that he wasn't upset at all, even as he complained. "What the hell, Koge? You think you're funny?"

"Oh yes, I'm hilarious." Koge dug her fingers into his top, pulling him in closer. "Now give me a kiss, you punk."

Caressing her cheek, Bakugou did as commanded, catching her lips with his own in a gentle but playful kiss. It didn't last long, however, as Bakugou was suddenly tackled to the side by his daughter and youngest son, laughing as he wrapped his arms around both of them. As the treason was committed in the form of hugs and other such horrendous affections, Koge sat up and leaned back against the center of the fountain, smiling from ear to ear.

Her heart was full to the brim, over spilling with pure love for her family. She had her children, a husband that she adored, and a happiness that she was sure would be everlasting.

In the end, what more could the little halfling ask for?


End file.
